Mitochondrion Epidemic.
by Stiltzkin
Summary: Chapter V: First Impressions. - Inspector Aya Brea & Special Agent Eve Brea copes with first day blues, while in D.C. Kyle meets his informant for the first time who request him to commit treason and in L.A. Carradine makes a discovery that could turn the
1. Bad Omens.

MITOCHANDRIAN EPICADEMIC  
By: Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: This story takes place three years after the events in Parasite Eve II.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHPTER ONE: BAD OMENS  
  
Ethiopian Highlands, North-East Africa  
50, 000 B.C.E.  
  
The light of the full moon inched gradually into the quiet chilly cave. There were four hominoids cuddling around an ember fire, two of the larger hominoids were covering two smaller child size hominoids, perhaps their children. The smaller hominoids started shivering which woke the female adult hominoid.  
  
She gently nudged her mate and directed him to go out to find some firewood. Crotchety, the adult male woke up and slowly headed out the cave looking for kindling. The night air was getting cooler; he looked around and felt the icy north winds osculating his soul. 'A bad omen.' He thought. It was getting colder every night for as long as he could remember.  
  
Suddenly the night sky burst into flames. Like a frighten animal caught in the headlights of a car he froze. He didn't even hear himself scream, but it was evident by his family coming out to see what the commotion was about. His family came out of the cave and pointed to the heavens as they witness a gigantic rock scream across the night sky, leaving a blazing tail behind it.  
  
The adult male jumped frantically like it was a bad omen as it screamed pass through the sky heading towards the south. As quickly as it emerged it just as fleetly disappeared and life soon returns back to normal. Yet the adult male hominoid couldn't shake the idea that the rock from the heavens was a bad omen. Fortunately, he would never know how right he was.  
  
Pole of Inaccessibility, Antarctica.  
June 13, 2003. 12:00 GMT  
  
The ice was so expansive and colourless that it merged into the horizon, so that there was only white - a perpetual, eternal and ghastly silent - a white of cataclysmic cold - an icy desert. Inside the cab of the snow tractor there were eight scientists eagerly waiting for their trip to end. Their breaths turned to mist dense and translucent smoke. Crystals formed on the men where several days' worth of beard had grown around their faces. Although the heat was blasting within, it was still frigid enough that they could hardly feel their hands inside their heavy gloves.  
  
Hours passed. Yoshi Yokomora, the head scientist of the team was feeling tired. In the land without night he lost all track of time, and with no landmarks, either natural or synthetic with nothing but snow and ice - he grew fearful of losing his bearing as well as his mind.  
  
"Raskolnikov, what's our bearing?" Yokomora asked squinting his eyes. The glistening light reflected by the white, bright snow blinded him. It didn't matter there was nothing to see except snow, nothing but snow as far as he could see.  
  
The Russian scientist reached for his handheld Global Positioning Satellite monitor to check their position. He squinted as numbers scrolled across the monitor's screen. "Eighty-five degrees, fifteen minutes south latitude." He paused, the rest of the crew listening carefully. "One hundred fifty-seven degrees, seven minutes west longitude. Elevation: Three hundred thirteen point five meters."  
  
Yokomora smiled to himself and stopped the snow tractor abruptly. "We're here." He announced. The rest of the scientist gave an artificial cheer as they started to move out.  
  
Snow crunched underfoot and whirled around their heads as they exited the tractor. They trudged across the ice with great difficulty. The snow squall abated, and their footprints showed clearly behind them. Yokomora looked behind him, his eyes quickly centered on the snow tractor, the only dark, foreign object against the endless vista of bright white ground and steadfast sky. "Let's set up camp." Yokomora smiled. "We'll start excavating after lunch."  
  
The tent was quickly put up and within the eight international scientists sat eating their warm soup and rations. "I still think we should wait until tomorrow to start." Smith said stuffing his face with food.  
  
"Pourquoi?" Alexandre Etienne, the French scientist asked.  
  
"It...It is rather silly." Franklin Smith, the youthful American scientist stuttered. "It's just that...it's Friday the thirteenth and it's a bad omen to..." The young scientist exasperated.  
  
The rest of the scientist chuckled at the remark. "You Americans, always superstitious." Reinhold Schmidt, the German scientist replied. "If you're so scared of a silly day why don't you run home to your mater." He mocked him.  
  
"All right, stop it!" Yokomora said with indignation in his voice. He was cold and cranky and the last thing he wanted to deal with was childish fighting. "We all come different lands and cultures. We will invariably have some strange beliefs and urban legends that we won't all believe or share in and should not be mocked - no matter how silly the notion may be." Yokomora lectured stressing the last part to the young American scientist. The crowd fell silent. "We're all scientists, let's act like them." Yokomora rebuked.  
  
"I'm sorry." Schmidt apologized.  
  
"Apology accepted." Smith said under his breath.  
  
"Good, we're going to start digging right after lunch. I won't wait any longer than we have too. I don't want to freeze to death." Yokomora sighed finishing his now cold soup.  
  
"It's not that cold." Raskolnikov remarked.  
  
"Surely you jest." Ethan Taylor, the British scientist chuckled to himself. "The abominable snowman would catch a cold in weather like this."  
  
"Ah the abominable snowman is not Russian. We Russians have thick acclimated blood." Raskolnikov smiled. "We have many cold winter nights." Raskolnikov sighed putting his coffee down.  
  
"Now, don't you start." Yokomora warned pointing his finger at his Russian friend. "Com'on, lunch is finished let's start digging." He said getting up from the table.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Several hours later...  
  
Yoshi Yokomora stood before a hole his team created and looked into the frozen land and sighed. "How much longer?" Yokomora stuttered from the extreme cold.  
  
"We're almost there." Raskolnikov replied quietly. "Do you know what our governments have us digging up here?" Damion Raskolnikov asked.  
  
"You're guess is as good as mine." Yokomora sighed. It was uncharacteristic for eight different governments to sponsor a scientific research and even more rare to have the scientists, themselves researching something they don't even know about.  
  
"How would we know what it is we're looking for?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Yokomora sighed.  
  
"I don't like this." The Russian said ominously.  
  
"Nor I." Yokomora sighed.  
  
"I think we found it!" Smith announced from below.  
  
"What is it?" The Russian synchronously asked.  
  
"I'm not sure." Smith replied. "But it looks some sort of meteorite."  
  
"A meteorite." Yokomora and Raskolnikov said in unison. The two scientists stared at each other ominously.  
  
Madigan-Brea's Apartment  
Los Angeles, California  
July 13, 2003. 05:00 PST  
  
It was a typical Californian summer's night - humid, sticky and unbearable. There were several brown outs recently in the Los Angeles area - tonight was one of those nights. The night before, Aya's air conditioner broke which she took to be a bad omen. Over the three decades of her life Aya believed that bad luck came in threes. In fact, ever since this year started seven months ago she had an inauspicious feeling that this year would be a bad one.  
  
Six years ago, when she was just a rookie officer in the New York Police Department, Melissa Pearce's (now known to modern historians as Eve) mitochondria mutated instigating a mitochondrion plague threatening to kill all life in New York. Three years later, when she joined the Federal Bureau of Investigations in Los Angeles another outbreak broke around the Los Angeles area. Now it's three years later and Aya suspected that something big and deadly pertaining to the mitochondria would happen. There seem to be an outbreak every three years, this being the third in a series of three gave Aya some pause. It has been seven months and nothing happened.  
  
Aya tossed in bed and opened her eyes slightly and took a deep sigh. 'I hope it stays that way.' She thought putting her head on the naked torso of her live-in boyfriend and gently cuddled him.  
  
"Hey hon, you can't sleep?" Kyle Madigan asked brushing her blond hair with his fingers.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. "Did I wake you?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm sorry." Aya said in a dreamily voice.  
  
"That's okay." Kyle sighed kissing the top of her head. "What time is it?" Kyle asked hearing the morning song of the lark. He knew that it was early, but he wasn't sure. The city was still under a brown out.  
  
"About five in the morning." Aya sighed looking at her watch.  
  
"What time do you have to get up?"  
  
"In a couple of hours." Aya sighed. "You?" Kyle didn't have a chance to answer her question because the phone rang. "If it's for me tell them that I'm dead." Aya whined.  
  
"Hello?" Kyle said pressing the button for the speakerphone.  
  
"May I speak to Agent Brea?" A male voice asked.  
  
"She's dead." Kyle mockingly replied.  
  
"Kyle!" Aya quietly mocked. "Pierce do you know what time is it?"  
  
"I'm sorry to wake you, but it's urgent." Special Agent Pierce Carradine said.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Hal is calling a Code Yellow." There was silence in the air for a moment. "Aya, did you hear me?"  
  
"Yeah...I heard you. I'll be there in an hour." Aya said as she bolted up from the bed. "I have to go honey." Aya said kissing Kyle on the lips and quickly headed to the bathroom to take a shower. She wanted to avoid talking to him, especially about Bureau matters.  
  
The cool water was welcomed as the dirty and stickiness of the night was quickly washed away. The water was therapeutic for Aya as she tried to put her anxiety in check. She heard the door open and then the facet being turned on.  
  
"Honey, what's Code Yellow?" Kyle asked innocently.  
  
"Honey, you know I can't talk about it."  
  
"I understand." Kyle sighed. 'That's was too easy.' Aya thought as she continued her shower.  
  
Kyle bit his lower lip and looked at himself in the mirror. He knew something was up, Aya didn't normally act like this when impromptu meetings at the Bureau were called. This was something different, something more dire. He splashed some water on his face and turned off the faucet. He quietly left the washroom and headed to their bedroom and grabbed a shirt and put it own.  
  
He headed to his desk and turned on his laptop computer and hoped that his batteries were fully charged. He smiled to himself seeing that the battery was at full power. The soft glow of the computer gently illuminated the room. He connected onto the Internet and quickly entered a chat room.  
  
"Hey hon." Aya popped her head through their bedroom door. Kyle quickly minimized the screen. "I'll be leaving now." Aya smiled giving Kyle a kiss.  
  
"Have a good day." Kyle smiled.  
  
"What are you doing?" Aya asked.  
  
"Just doing some paper work." Kyle lied through his boyish smile.  
  
"You're up to something, Kyle Madigan." Aya probed.  
  
"Me? Never." Kyle said mockingly.  
  
"All right. Don't work to hard." Aya smiled. "And stay out of trouble."  
  
"I won't." Kyle smiled kissing her.  
  
"I'll make it up to you tonight." Aya said kissing her lover on the lips. "See you soon." Aya smiled. "I still think you're up to something." She said leaving the room. Kyle waited patiently until he heard the main door close shut. He maximized his screen and started typing:  
  
EAGLE2: mole you there?  
MOLE47: whatcha want madigan?  
EAGLE2: i need favour...  
MOLE47: shoot.  
EAGLE2: classified fed term - code yellow.  
MOLE47: branch?  
EAGLE2: mist.  
MOLE47: back in a nano.  
  
"Don't take too long." Kyle sighed to himself. He got up and walked towards the terrace for some fresh air. He hated going behind Aya's back, but he's worried about her. 'Ah, who am I kidding.' Kyle sighed. 'Aya could take care of herself.'  
  
The computer beeped. Kyle stood on the terrace and wondered if he should look at his informant's response to his query. 'She's going to kill me.' Kyle sighed. The debate rang through his head for about a minute. "What the hell." He sighed. Kyle rushed to the laptop and read what his informant had for him.  
  
MOLE47: quarantine.  
  
"Quarantine?" Kyle asked with confusion.  
  
EAGLE2: r u sure?  
MOLE47: definite.  
EAGLE2: thanx.  
MOLE47: u owe me.  
EAGLE2: i know.  
  
His informant logged off. Kyle was alone in the chat room. He looked at the blank screen and drummed his fingers on the table and wondered what could be so urgent for Aya to drop everything in an instant to rush to work. 'Quarantine. What's so...' Kyle's jaw dropped in fear. "Mitochondria." He swore to himself.  
  
F.B.I. Headquarters  
Los Angeles, California  
06:30 PST  
  
Aya jumped out of her red mustang convertible and ran through the parking lot. She was half an hour late. 'Why me?' Aya sighed. She flashed her badge to the security guard and ran through the metal detector. It chimed as she ran through. 'Great.' Aya sighed.  
  
Her theory of bad luck coming in threes was coming true. The elevator to her apartment was out of order so she was forced to run down countless flights of stairs where she broke her heel. Then a local L.A.P.D. stopped Aya while she was speeding across the superhighway. She was then forced to stop her car and flash her badge telling him that she was on official F.B.I. business. Now she had to waste her valuable time re-entering the metal detector.  
  
She threw her keys and gun in the tray and walked through the metal detector again, this time successfully. She picked up her keys and revolver and rushed to the elevator. "Please hold the elevator." She yelled seeing the elevator door closed. She swore to herself and punched the elevator key and waited for the next car.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Eric Baldwin, or to his friends, Hal paced the length of the head part of the conference table. He looked at the clock hanging in the center of the room. 'Thirty-three minutes late.' Baldwin sighed with indignation. The director looked at her partner, Rupert Broderick searching for answers.  
  
"She'll be here soon." Broderick said in his partner's defence. The mild manner agent had no idea where his partner was, but he too was worried. Broderick would always stroke his goatee every time he was nervous this time was no exception.  
  
Carradine, the information specialist was sitting across from Broderick. He wore his sunglasses to hide the bags under his eyes. Carradine had a knack with retrieving information in a flash. Baldwin looked at the information specialist. "I called her." Carradine defended himiself.  
  
'It's not his fault.' Baldwin sighed. He continued to pace the short end of the conference table. 'Where is she?' The room was so quiet that they could hear the passage of time passing. Everyone could hear the ticking of the clock as the seconds passed by and merge into minutes. 'Where can Aya be?' Baldwin thought.  
  
Aya bursting through the double oak doors of the conference room interrupting the silence. "Sorry I'm late Hal." Aya said out of breath. She quickly rushed to the vacant seat beside her partner.  
  
"Where the hell were you?" Baldwin barked.  
  
"It's a long story." Aya panted still out of breath.  
  
Baldwin wanted to blow his top, but instead counted to ten. 'This is no time to get angry.' He thought taking a deep sigh. "Very well." Baldwin said in a much calmer tone. Aya looked at her partner and knew what he was thinking. She smiled and told him that she'll be okay. "Now that we're all here we can begin our meeting."  
  
"Finally." Carradine mumbled under his breath.  
  
"About an hour ago we received an urgent message from New York Commissioner Douglas Baker." Baldwin continued and decided to let that comment go.  
  
"Doug?" Aya gasped.  
  
"You know Commissioner Baker?" Baldwin asked.  
  
Aya composed herself and cleared her throat. "He was the captain of my precinct when I joined the N.Y.P.D. six years ago." Aya explained. "Is he all right?" She never really considered her former captain as a good friend, but he was her first captain and because of that she cared for him.  
  
"For the time being." Baldwin said enigmatically. "There has been a sudden rise of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures found in New York over the past month."  
  
"Let's go." Aya said getting up from her chair.  
  
"Agent Brea." Baldwin raised his voice. "There's more."  
  
"I...I'm sorry." Aya stuttered and took her seat. Aya blushed she was usually more objective, more conserved. 'It's a bad morning.' She justified. 'Just a bad morning.' She repeated. "Please continue." Her voice drifted.  
  
"Like I was saying, we believe that these Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are not just 'normal' N.M.C.s." Baldwin paused. "The Bureau has classified these mitochondrion creatures as E.N.M.C.s short for Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures."  
  
"Whoa, extra?" Carradine interrupted. "You mean these things are part alien?"  
  
"Yes." Baldwin confirmed dimming the lights of the room and turned on the slide projector - which showed a map of Antarctica. "About six weeks ago the International Space Station detected an anomalous reading of extra biological signatures located deep within the Ross Ice Shelf on the coast of Victoria Land of Antarctica. Two weeks later a group of eight scientists traveled to Antarctica and dug up the meteorite." Baldwin reported replacing the picture of Antarctica with that of a black rock.  
  
"The Xeno Stone." Carradine gasped.  
  
"Yes, the Xeno Stone was revealed as the greatest find of the twenty-first century." Baldwin reported. "According to the scientific reports, the striation of the ice suggests that the meteorite fell to Earth anywhere from fifty to fifty-five thousand years ago during our last ice-age. The rock itself is estimated to be at least ten billion years old." Baldwin paused. "Scientific report indicates that it was laced with extra-biological micro-organisms from a distant planet that shattered during some sort of cataclysmic event." Carrdine reported.  
  
"What does this have to do with the mitochondrion creatures in New York?" Broderick asked.  
  
"The Bureau has a theory." Baldwin answered by advancing to the next picture to that of a tiny cell. "We theorize that the alien mitochondria are eons more advance than ours. These alien mitochondria penetrated our cell wall and merge or takes over our mitochondria mutating it, thus creating an E.N.M.C."  
  
"How do we defeat these E.N.M.C.s?" Aya asked.  
  
"That we don't know, but the Department of Defense is fabricating a weapon as we now speak." Baldwin sighed. "There's more."  
  
"What?" Aya asked.  
  
"The Central Intelligence Agency reports that there are multiple E.N.M.C. sightings in the following countries that are coloured in red." Baldwin answered advancing to the next slide, which showed a world map. "The United States, the Former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland, New Zealand and of course Antarctica."  
  
"A world epidemic." Aya said in dread.  
  
"How did it spread so quickly." Broderick asked.  
  
"The scientists." Carradine replied.  
  
"That's correct." Baldwin stated as the next slide came up showing a Japanese man. "This is Yoshi Yokomora from Japan. He was the head of the expedition to retrieve the Xeno Stone." He went to the next slide. "This is Reinhold Schmidt, the german scientist to the group." The picture quickly passed and was replaced with another picture. "This is Damion Raskolnikov from the Former Soviet Union...Dr. Ethan Taylor from the United Kingdom...Alexandre Etienne from France...Cedric Ulrich from Switzerland...Chi-Wei Wong from the Republic of China...and of Dr. Robert Smith from the United States, a New York native." Baldwin turned of the machine and turned on the lights. "Since New Zealand has the only airport that flies into Antarctica the C.I.A. suspect that there are Mitochondrion Creatures there also." Baldwin explained.  
  
"What's our mission?" Broderick asked.  
  
"With the United Nations blessing we were asked to steal the Xeno Stone which is presently in its provisional home in the Smithsonian. We are to infiltrate the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. so we could dispose of it properly." Baldwin said.  
  
"What about New York?" Aya asked.  
  
"This takes priority." Baldwin stressed. "The Army will try to hold the E.N.M.C. at bay in New York until we get there." Baldwin said.  
  
"With all due respect Hal the immediate and greater threat is to New York, why go to Washington D.C. when we could send a smaller team to retrieve the Xeno Stone?" Broderick asked.  
  
"Normally we would, but apparently there is some sort of force field surrounding the Smithsonian. It seems that anyone that go near it starts combusting into flames." Baldwin reported.  
  
The room fell silent as all eyes darted to Aya's face. They all knew that in the past only Aya could penetrate these fields. Aya looked into her colleagues - her friends' faces and sighed. 'She wanted to stop the carnage in New York City, but she knew that getting rid of the stone was more important.' She hated decision like these. "All right. Let's go to Washington D.C." Aya sighed stressing the last part of the sentence reluctantly.  
  
"The plane will leave Los Angeles International Airport at 08:00 hours. Agents Brea and Broderick you will be there and don't be late." Baldwin stressed the last part of the sentence to Aya.  
  
"Yes sir." They said in unison.  
  
"All right, let's go." Baldwin said concluding the meeting.  
  
Baldwin left the boardroom quickly followed slowly by Carradine. Aya stood in the boardroom and turned on the slide projector and reversed the pictures back to the world map. She stared at the countries that were coloured in red. She felt dejected. "Are you okay?" Her partner asked.  
  
"No." Aya sighed.  
  
"Com'on let's go." Broderick suggested. "You'll feel better in the field."  
  
She knew that he was right, but still couldn't help to think that this was all her fault. "Yeah." Aya sighed. "Hey Rupert have I told you about my theory with bad luck coming in threes?" Aya asked escorting her partner out of the room.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square - no profit was made from the writing of this fan fiction. This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination (i.e., the scientist of the research team) and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	2. Veritas est Incredibilis.

MITOCHONDRION EPIDEMIC  
By: Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: This fan fiction is an experimentation of sorts. Some of my friends [at school] consider my writings too serious and because of that constructive criticism I thought I would tried my hand at humor. My attempts in using the X-Files characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully for comedic relief fail miserably [I found after writing this that it was not funny, but silly, something I wasn't going for]. So I changed everything back to "normal" [whatever that is] and couldn't decided whether to take the X-Files characters out or leave them in. That question consumed me way too much that I thought: 'Hey let the readers decide.' So, please read and tell me if you like the cameo of the X-Files characters and if you would like to see them again in the future chapters. Oh, for those who wants to know the title is Latin for "The Truth is Unbelievable" to go along with the X-Files theme. Finally, I'll like to apologize for getting this uploaded so late. I was busy with school and writing my other fan fiction series for Final Fantasy VIII, regardless, I hope the wait was well worth it (and length, sorry about that). Enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER TWO: VERITAS EST INCREDIBILIS  
  
Streets of Los Angeles  
Los Angeles, California  
July 13, 2003 05:45 PST  
  
Kyle Madigan hated to feel useless, especially when it came to Aya. He knew zealously that she could take care of herself, but there was always a consistent and relentless agape love he had for her that wouldn't let go. 'No it's more than that.' Kyle thought. 'Can it be true love?' Regardless, he couldn't stay inside when everything that he care for in the world was in potential danger. He needed to get some fresh air.  
  
The morning was warm and humid; the sun had yet to rise. The air was stuffy and almost unbreathable. The city's power was still down and the sky was overcast they only light came from two tiny stars, one of which was the morning star. Madigan ended up walking in the dark, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to get of his apartment and think things through.  
  
Part of him wished that he didn't know the significance of Code Yellow - the truth behind it, but the greater part of him, was glad that he did. The musty morning air helped him realize that the code was based on military monochromatic message flags. 'Of course.' He cursed to himself. 'White represents truce or surrender, black: death, red: danger, green: proceed, orange: distress and of course yellow - yellow means quarantine.' Kyle finally realized.  
  
He walked alone and aimlessly through the dark streets of Los Angeles being lost in thought - a debate, a small war being waged in his head. A dangerous feat to perform especially for those without any basic combat training. Although this Texas native was never apart of the army or received any police training he was able to take care of himself in a fight.  
  
He was so consumed in thought that he lost all track of time. Time slowly, carelessly flowed; the sun rose and the brown out ended, but he was oblivious to his surroundings. Eventually he found himself before his office, six blocks away. 'Might as well start my day.' Kyle thought picking up the morning paper and headed upstairs.  
  
"Good morning." Della Fletcher, his secretary greeted.  
  
"Yes, if it is indeed good." He miserably returned ignoring her altogether.  
  
"You and Aya had another fight?" She conceitedly presumed.  
  
"What?" Kyle asked with confusion. "Why would you say that?"  
  
"Well you only come in early when you're fighting with Aya and you don't usually come in on Sundays." Fletcher pointed out.  
  
"Well we're not fighting." Kyle corrected pouring a cup of coffee. He looked at the clock and saw that it was seven, and that it was indeed early. "Do I have any messages."  
  
"No." Fletcher returned. "You know if you apologize..."  
  
"Why would I apologize if we're not fighting." Madigan defended, this time with a hint of anger.  
  
"All right." His secretary said unconvincingly.  
  
"Good day Miss. Fletcher." Kyle sighed in defeat. "I'll be in my office and I don't want to be disturbed." Kyle added slamming the door to his office.  
  
He threw the paper on his desk effortlessly and looked out his window. His walk didn't do him any good - he still felt useless, powerless. He took a sip of his coffee - it was too hot. His tongue mildly scalded, Della Fletcher was a very competent secretary, but her coffee was much to be deserved. He put his coffee down on his desk and read the headline of the newspaper that he threw on his desk earlier.  
  
SCIENTIST STRICKEN BY MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS  
  
Kyle was intrigued with the headline; he carefully picked up the paper and started reading. "New York scientist Dr. Robert Smith of N.Y.U, fame for the discovery of the Xeno Stone was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital earlier this morning for treatment and was put under bio-hazard quarantine..." Kyle stop reading the paper and threw it back on the desk.  
  
He pressed on the intercom. "Della, get me a ticket to New York City!" Kyle demanded.  
  
"Sir?" Her voice came back.  
  
"It's for a case." Kyle lied.  
  
"They'll be at the front desk at the airport." Her voice came through the intercom. Kyle rushed out of the office without even saying goodbye to his secretary.  
  
Los Angeles International Airport  
Los Angeles, California  
08:00 PST  
  
Aya Brea listened to her mobile phone rang unanswered. She was getting worried. 'Why isn't Kyle picking up? Where can he be?' She looked out the window and saw the clear blue sky. The sun was bearing down hard on the City of Angles. She was glad that she was inside the cool, air-conditioned airplane.  
  
"Excuse me ma'am, but we can't take off until you turn off your phone." The flight attendant said politely.  
  
"Of course." Aya blushed turning off the phone. "My apologies." She sighed.  
  
"Couldn't get a hold of him?" Broderick, her partner asked.  
  
"No." Aya sighed.  
  
"You know he doesn't need you to cheek up on him."  
  
"I know." Aya sighed. "I just don't want him to do something stupid, like following me around."  
  
"He wouldn't do that." Broderick quickly dismissed. "Would he?"  
  
Aya left the question hang in the air for a moment before answering. It was cold damming silence. "I don't know." She finally sighed. "He probably would."  
  
The flight attendant offered the Agents complementary papers, Aya declined but her partner took the Los Angeles Times and started reading. "Hey Aya read this." Broderick said giving the paper to his partner.  
  
Aya's pupils dilated as she read the story. '...was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital earlier this morning for treatment and was put under bio-hazard quarantine. Doctor refuse to comment, but rumor has it that his cells have mutated.' Aya gasped. "How can they print this?"  
  
"What print rumors? In my day, facts..."  
  
"Not that." Aya interrupted. "This would put all of New York in a fritz."  
  
"Relax Aya, it's a Californian paper." Broderick tried to calm her down. "I doubt New Yorkers would read a paper printed from across the country." Broderick explained.  
  
"Well I hope that New York reporters are more professional than those employed by the Los Angeles Times." Aya sighed ominously. She tried to believe her hopes, but something inside told her to prepare for the worse.  
  
Washington Dulles International Airport  
Washington, District of Columbia  
15:30 EST  
  
Special Agent Dana Scully scoffed at the arrival board - the flight that they were waiting was still delayed. They plane should have landed in Washington D.C. half an hour ago. She marched back towards the waiting area, her high heel shoes echoed throughout the busy airport merging and adding to the synthetic environment.  
  
Her stomach rumbled. She was forced to leave her mid-afternoon lunch half eaten back in her office. 'Just once.' She thought to herself. 'Just once, I wish I could have nice uninterrupted lunch.' She glanced at the vending machine and headed for it.  
  
She scanned the contents within and fed the machine a series of coins, pressed a combination of buttons and retrieved her snack. 'Not the most healthiest of lunches, but it'll do.' She sighed opening her bag of pretzels. Putting a pretzel in her mouth she continued with her previous destination.  
  
Scully circumspect the waiting area and found her partner, Fox Mulder sitting patiently reading a newspaper while cracking a sunflower seed between his teeth. 'I'm going to kill him.' She thought to herself. "So help me God." She said under her breath.  
  
"What was that?" Mulder asked looking up from his paper.  
  
"Nothing, just thinking out loud." Scully said taking the empty seat beside him. Scully hated waiting, but what she hated more was doing menial tasks when there's an investigation that needed to be closed.  
  
"So when's our guests coming?" Mulder asked, his face still in his paper.  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine." Scully sighed. "The plane is still delayed."  
  
"Hmm too bad." Mulder sighed looking up. "Could I have one of your pretzels?" Mulder asked nonchalantly and carelessly. Scully exasperated and let her partner take a few. He offered her his sunflower seeds, but she declined. "What I thought you ate like a bird?" Mulder said clueless about his partner's state of mind. Scully darted at him with animosity. She didn't want to dignify that comment with a response. "What? Are you frustrated or something?" Mulder asked.  
  
"Yeah Mulder." Scully sighed. "What are we doing here?" Scully whined with indignation.  
  
"What do you mean?" Fox replied with innocent confusion in his voice. He thought the answer was obvious. "Skinner said that there are important V.I.P.s on the plane that needed escorts."  
  
"I know Mulder." Scully scuffed. "I mean what are WE doing here." Scully clarified. "This could be done by other agents, it's rather a menial task and there's no X-Files here nor does it pertain to our present investigation with the phenomenon surrounding the National Air and Space Museum." Scully said with frustration.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you look when you're frustrated?" Mulder smiled mockingly.  
  
"Mulder." Scully was in no mood for sarcasm. "There's no X-Files here." She repeated earnestly.  
  
"Oh, but there is." Mulder smiled giving a folder to his partner.  
  
"What is this?" Scully asked rhetorically.  
  
"It's an F.B.I. personal report."  
  
"Having trouble finding a date?" Scully mocked opening the file glancing at the report. "Special Agent Aya Brea." Scully read still not seeing her partner's point. She hated being out of the loop in an investigation even more than doing menial tasks for the Bureau. "Cute." Scully said unimpressed. She handed back the file to her partner. "You should ask her out."  
  
"She's our V.I.P." Mulder said defensively. "Or at least one of them."  
  
"How does Special Agent Brea pertain to our investigation?" Scully asked.  
  
"Glad you asked. About six years ago in New York City, there was a mitochondrion outbreak killing thousands in the process." Mulder started to explain.  
  
"Yeah, if I remember correctly Melissa Pearce, an opera singer was taking heavy medication for her weak constitution." She was started to put the pieces of the puzzle together. "The medication or a combination of which somehow allowed her mitochondria to take over the nucleus and thus mutating her to the infamous Mitochondria Eve." Scully explained medically.  
  
"On her debut performance in Carnegie Hall, Melissa Pearce's mitochondria awakened and in the process she incinerated about two hundred spectators and a dozen actors. Aya Brea was present and the only survivor."  
  
"She probably got lucky." Scully said unconvincing even to herself.  
  
"What was not reported in any newspapers was that Agent Brea had the ability to pass through the same mysterious force fields that is surrounding the National Air and Space Museum." Mulder explained. "She even did it a second time in Nevada three years later and she will do it again today." Mulder added.  
  
Scully jaw dropped. She finally knew all the pieces of the puzzle and that this pointless act of escort did pertain to their investigation. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Scully asked.  
  
"You didn't ask."  
  
Scully scoffed at her partner's statement. "I assume that you have a theory of how she could do this." She retorted.  
  
"I believe that the mitochondria in Agent Brea's genes has gone through the very same mutation to that of Melissa Pearce." Mulder proposed.  
  
"Mulder, even if we consider this, logically one would ask why hasn't Agent Brea mutated into a monster or a second Mitochondria Eve long ago?" Sully presented her logic.  
  
"I don't know. Perhaps, her mutation is slightly different or incomplete." Mulder suggested. "It is my theory that her mutation gives her superhuman powers or at least some sort of resistance to this shield." Mulder sighed.  
  
"Superhuman powers? Like Superman?" Dana said unconvincingly. "Mulder do you know how preposterous that sounds?"  
  
"Well do you have a theory?"  
  
Scully stuttered and stalled. "I don't know Mulder." Scully sighed in defeat. "But I'm sure that there's a reasonable scientific explanation to all this." She sighed. The intercom mumbled that the flight that they were waiting for had landed. "That's them." Scully said getting up.  
  
They scan the mass of angry people exiting the plane. Fox pulled out a photo of the agents that they were waiting for. Fox gazed into the crowd and saw a woman with shimmering emerald green eyes and short blonde hair countering her clear oval face. Her escort a tall dark skinned man dressed in a suit with a shaven headed with a clean-cut goatee with a hint of gray in it. "That's them." Mulder pointed out.  
  
"Mulder that can't be them. The person we're looking for is thirty, she's in her early twenties, perhaps mid-twenties." Scully observed.  
  
"No that's them." Mulder insisted as he rushed to them. Scully reluctantly followed him. "Agents Brea and Broderick?" Mulder asked.  
  
"Who wants to know?" Aya asked defensively.  
  
"Agent Fox Mulder, my partner Dana Scully." They flashed their identification. "We're here to escort you to F.B.I. Headquarters."  
  
Aya looked to her partner with confusion. He shrugged his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Agent Mulder, but we weren't told that we'll be getting escorts."  
  
"Here's the order." Mulder handed over a file to Aya.  
  
"What does it say?" Broderick asked.  
  
"Agents Brea and Broderick please report to Assistant Director Walter Skinner for further orders pertaining to your mission, two escorts would be at the Washington Dulles International Airport to accompany you. Signed Eric Baldwin, Director." Aya read.  
  
"That's Bureau efficiency for you." Mulder smiled.  
  
"Indeed, shall we go? Our mission is of the utmost of emergencies."  
  
"Our car is just outside." Scully directed. Brea and Broderick walked pass the agents and left them behind. "So Mulder she doesn't look like a superman to me." Sully observed.  
  
"Ay, but Superman had a disguised." Mulder said with his boyish smiled. He pulled out a set of glasses and put it on. "Clark Kent." Then he took them off. "Superman. Think about it." Mulder smiled walking away.  
  
"Up, up, and away." Scully said, her voice in a dry sarcasm. She followed quickly behind them.  
  
En Route to F.B.I. Headquarters  
Streets of Washington D.C.  
16:00 EST  
  
Aya and Rupert were waiting patiently in the car when Mulder came out of the airport and into the driver's seat. "Where's Agent Scully?" Aya asked a little ticked off.  
  
"She'll be here soon." Mulder smiled. Just when he said that Scully came out of the airport and entered into the passenger seat. "I'm sorry I'm late." Scully smiled.  
  
"That's okay." Broderick quickly forgive.  
  
"All comfy?" Mulder asked looking at his guest flashing his smile.  
  
"We're fine Agent Mulder." Broderick politely replied. "Please drive."  
  
"Okay." Mulder sighed. He turned on the engine and pulled out of the airport. There was silence in the car that felt rather uncomfortable. Broderick decided to be the first to break it.  
  
"We apologize for making you wait." Broderick said showing off his good-natured attitude. "Our pilot had to circumnavigate around a storm to get here." Broderick explained.  
  
"No worries." Mulder replied. "Those things happens."  
  
There was silence once again this time Dana Scully broke the silence. "Aya may I ask a personal question?"  
  
"You may ask, but I can't promise if I'll answer." Aya replied.  
  
"Your F.B.I. personal report says that you're thirty, but you don't look a day over twenty-four, how do you do it?" Dana asked.  
  
"Why did you read my personal report?" Aya returned.  
  
Scully and Mulder looked at each other for answers. "It's procedure when we're escorting F.B.I. agents. It gives us a pictorial reference to tell who you are." Mulder suggested.  
  
"Yeah, it's not wise going up to an ordinary citizen and ask if they are F.B.I. agents." Scully added.  
  
"That IS standard procedure." Broderick confirmed, albeit suspiciously. Rupert Broderick has been with the F.B.I. far longer than Aya. He was working in New York for the F.B.I. on the organized crimes unit. His career was blossoming, he was going up the ranks fairly quickly and some say that he would make assistant director or director by now, that is until his family died six years ago during the Mitochondria Eve revolution in New York.  
  
He gave everything up when his family died, his career, a chance to be an assistant director - everything. Instead he joined M.I.S.T. and devoted the rest of his life in the extermination of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures.  
  
"So what's your secret to your youthful exterior." Scully asked.  
  
"Oh, you know." Aya sighed. "Exercise, eat right, and L.A. has the best plastic surgeons in the world." Aya said sarcastically. She didn't want to tell the truth, she couldn't. Aya didn't think that Dana Scully would understand that when the mitochondria within her was awakened her aging process slowed.  
  
"You're not serious?" Mulder said smiling to himself. He saw the image of Aya in his rearview mirror.  
  
"A lady must keep some of her secrets Agent. Mulder." Aya smiled.  
  
"Quite right, Agent Brea, quite right." Mulder smiled. "So tell me what brings the two of you to Washington D.C.?" Mulder asked innocently.  
  
"That, Agent Mulder is confidential." Aya replied with a smile. Feeling more cordial Aya continued the conversation. "So what branch of the Bureau are you from?" Aya asked.  
  
"We're from the X-Files."  
  
"The X-Files?" Aya asked. "Never heard of that branch. What do you specialize in?" Aya asked with intrigued.  
  
"We specialize in the truth." Mulder replied enigmatically.  
  
"Don't we all, Agent Mulder, if you please can you be less ambiguous?"  
  
"We specialized in paranormal and unexplained activities." Scully clarified.  
  
"Paranormal Activity?" Aya asked with confusion.  
  
"Yeah you know extra-terrestrial biological entities, unidentified flying objects, ghosts, invisible fire walls. Stuff like that." Mulder planted the last example on purpose.  
  
Aya and Rupert looked at each other dumfounded and flabbergasted. Aya stomach started to knot, she didn't like the fact that they knew about the force field. She didn't know how to respond she looked at her partner for help. "I...I didn't think the Bureau investigates cases like those." Broderick finally said. "You must have a small office."  
  
"You're looking at us." Mulder smiled. "So what branch of the Bureau are you from?" Mulder probed.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that too is classified." Aya sighed.  
  
"Is there anything that isn't classified with you?" Mulder asked, not with frustration, but with intrigued.  
  
"That, Agent Mulder, is yet to be seen." Aya smiled to herself.  
  
F.B.I. Headquarters, J. Edgar Hoover Building  
Washington, District of Columbia  
16:30 EST  
  
Assistant Director Walter Skinner sat behind his desk reading reports and doing paper work that he had neglected for days. The sun was shining on his bald head as beads of sweat accumulated. He dried his head with a handkerchief.  
  
"Agents Mulder, Scully, Brea and Broderick here to see you." His secretary called through the intercom.  
  
Skinner quickly put away the files he was working on; leaving one, unclassified folder on his desk to show his guest the illusion that he was doing something. "Please send them in." Skinner said.  
  
The door quickly opened and he stood up to greet his Californian agents. Mulder and Scully entered the office leading the way for Aya and Rupert. No introductions were made. "I'm sorry for bringing you here on a Sunday and interrupt your investigation, but your orders have been extended." Skinner passed the folder on his desk to them.  
  
Aya quickly read the letter in her mind from Baldwin telling her to co-operate with them. She showed the letter to her partner to read. He handed the letter back to the Assistant Director who quickly shred it.  
  
Aya gathered her thoughts together and took a deep sigh. "How much do you know?" Aya asked.  
  
"Just about your mission." Skinner replied.  
  
"What about them?" Aya asked looking at Mulder and Scully.  
  
"Their investigation coincides with your mission."  
  
"Let me guess, the invisible fire walls."  
  
"Yeah." Mulder smiled in confession.  
  
"What I'm going to tell you must stay in this room." Aya asked. The three nodded and reluctantly agreed. "Agent Broderick and I are from a classified branch called M.I.S.T."  
  
"M.I.S.T.?" Skinner asked in awe. "Never heard of it."  
  
"I have." Mulder replied. "The Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team. I thought that branch was a rumor." Mulder replied.  
  
"Well, Agent Mulder rumors are sometime true." Aya sighed.  
  
"Are you the NMC Hunter?" Mulder asked.  
  
"The one and only."  
  
"What are NMC?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures." Aya replied.  
  
"Mitochondrion?"  
  
"Mitochondria are organelles found within the cells of all living organisms which generate adenosine triphosphatase or ATP which is an important source of cell power. The Mitochondria possesses a DNA different from that in the cell's nucleus. It has been theorized that the mitochondria may be the remains of a separate organism that the nucleus absorbed into the cell shortly after life on this planet began." Scully answered. She saw the shocked looked from the Californian guest. "I'm a doctor." Scully announced.  
  
"I see." Aya sighed. "There is another theory that states that the mitochondria deliberately entered the cell as a nucleic parasite." Aya pointed out. "That's the theory M.I.S.T. believes in. My partner and I have been hunting NMC for the last six years."  
  
"How does NMCs created?" Scully asked with scientific curios.  
  
"The mitochondria and the nucleus has been living in symbiosis since the dawn of life. Somehow either through natural or synthetic means the mitochondria 'awakes' and takes over the cells function changing a normal organism into a NMC." Aya stated.  
  
"That...that's hard to believe." Skinner said.  
  
"Theoretically, it's possible." Scully agreed.  
  
"So why do you want the Xeno Stone?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Since the discovery of the Xeno Stone a month ago we believe that the alien micro-organism's mitochondria laced around it was absorbed into the world populace via the scientist that discover it thus creating new N.M.C.s of extra-terrestrial properties. Our mission is to recover the Xeno Stone and dispose of it." Aya explained.  
  
"Dispose, you mean destroy it." Mulder interjected.  
  
"Yes." Aya said.  
  
"You can't do that!" Mulder demanded passionate.  
  
"Agent Mulder, it's either destroying the Xeno Stone or allow dangerous Mitochondrion creatures attack the populace."  
  
"You can't destroy the only evidence..." Mulder angrily vented.  
  
"Calm down. Agent Mulder." Skinner calmly interrupted.  
  
"...of extra-terrestrial biological micro-organisms!" Mulder ranted.  
  
"That's enough! Agent Mulder!" Skinner said raising his voice.  
  
"You can't let them do that." Mulder said to his director.  
  
"Even if I could, I can't this order comes down from the President himself." Skinner said. "The Xeno Stone must be destroyed."  
  
"No." Mulder gasped.  
  
"Mulder, they're right." Scully said putting her hand on his shoulder. "For the sake of humanity, the Xeno Stone must be destroyed."  
  
"Et tu, Scully." Mulder said coldly.  
  
Taking offense Scully tried to explain her statement. "Mulder at least we have scientific evidence that extra-terrestrial biological micro-organisms exists."  
  
"Don't you see Scully, it's not the same thing as having the hard evidence. Scientific reports can be discounted within time and pretty soon the thought of extra-terrestrial biological micro-organisms would fade into history. It's a governmental cover up!" Mulder explained quietly.  
  
"Than consider the alternative." Scully said looking into his eyes. "Consider the six billion lives at stake, would you sacrifice one life for this precious hard evidence of yours?" Scully asked trying to appease to his morality.  
  
"Maybe." Mulder sighed. "How many people died covering up the truth?"  
  
"Mulder, I know how important this evidence is to you, but you're not like them. I know that you're better than that." Scully said putting her hand on his shoulder. "We'll find more evidence." She reassured.  
  
"What do you think THAT is all about?" Broderick asked whispering to his partner.  
  
"I don't know." Aya whispered back. "I think it's sexual tension." Aya smiled.  
  
Aya could see Mulder debating within his head. She knew that having one's life work thrown away is heart wrenching. "You're right." Mulder sighed to Scully. "I'm sorry." He apologized to the guests.  
  
"I sympathize with your pain, but I assure you we're not here to cover up anything." Aya reassured. "Besides we don't have a plan to dispose of it yet." Aya added.  
  
"Actually there is." Skinner said. "And it finally explains why this was sent to me." Skinner said showing a metallic box, which he picked up, from the floor.  
  
"What is it?" Aya asked in awe.  
  
"It's a portable vacuum box. It was specifically designed by N.A.S.A. to encompass and hold the Xeno Stone. Your orders are to retrieve the stone and place it in this box, then the Bureau will fly you to Florida where the stone would be jettison towards the sun." Skinner explained.  
  
"Why the sun?" Aya asked.  
  
"It makes sense." Scully said. "These micro-organisms had survived a planet exploding, interstellar space travel, re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The only safe way to make sure this doesn't happen again is to send it to the sun." Scully explained.  
  
"Sounds good, let's go." Aya said getting up.  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Scully asked.  
  
"What?" Aya asked confused.  
  
"The invisible fire shield surrounding the National Air and Space Museum." Scully added.  
  
"Ah, the X-File." Aya sighed. "Don't worry, I'm...immune to the shielding." Aya explained simplistically.  
  
"How?" Scully asked.  
  
"That's confidential." Aya replied.  
  
"Your were ordered to explain everything and aid us Agent Brea." Skinner replied forcefully.  
  
"With all due respect Director Skinner, the answer to that question requires a level omega ten clearance." Aya replied confidently. "Something neither of you have." Aya sighed.  
  
"Omega ten?" Skinner said. "Only three people has that clearance."  
  
"Who?" Mulder asked.  
  
"The Minister of Defense, the Surgeon General, and the President." Skinner replied.  
  
Mulder groaned in frustration. "Could you at least help us in solving the case of the invisible fire wall?" Mulder asked.  
  
"That I can do." Aya sighed. "The invisible fire wall, is not a wall as you perceive it. It's more like a defense mechanism from a very large and powerful Mitochondrion Creature. This defense mechanism has the ability to awaken the mitochondria in any organism and direct them to incinerate their host." Aya explained. "There's your X-File, Mr. Mulder." Aya smiled.  
  
"Wait a minute. Are you suggesting that there's a powerful Mitochondrion Creature within the National Air an Space Museum?" Scully asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes." Aya sighed.  
  
"And you're going in alone?" Mulder asked.  
  
"I'm a big girl, Agent Mulder, I could take care of myself. Now can we leave? Time is of the essence here." Aya asked picking up the vacuum box.  
  
"After you." Mulder smiled. The four agents left the assistant director's office quickly.  
  
National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution  
Washington, District of Columbia  
17:30 EST  
  
Aya looked at a rather plainly designed rectangular building and felt somewhat disappointed. Washington D.C. was full of monuments, but the only thing she could see is the capitol to the Northeast and a plainly built building before her. 'You're not here to see the sights.' Aya rebuked herself. 'Concentrate on your mission.'  
  
She put on her Turtle Vest over her black top and draped her favourite jean jacket over her armour. Although limited in attachments, only three, it was the armour she preferred the most. Her weapon of choice was M93R, a standard 9mm handgun, not the most powerful weapon, but it was light and maneuverable.  
  
"Hey, you're ready?" Mulder asked.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." Aya sighed.  
  
"Do you need anything?" Mulder asked.  
  
"Yeah, one hundred 9mm ammo, one hundred 9mm hydra bullets and a M4A1 Rifle with a bayonette attachment." Aya replied. The bayonette was a last resort, just in case she ran out of ammo, she had a backup weapon.  
  
"Wow, a gal who sure knows her weapons." Aya looked at him giving him a solemn look. "Be back in a moment." He said leaving.  
  
"Aya."  
  
"Rupert." Aya smiled. "How can I help you?"  
  
"I'll like you to wear this wireless walkie-talkie so we'll be in contact with you. It also doubles as a sensor so we know where in the building you are." Broderick said giving the delicate, expensive equipment to her.  
  
"Thanks." Aya smiled putting it on her head. "Testing, testing, one, two, three." She said.  
  
"All clear." Broderick smiled.  
  
"Here's the items you requested." Mulder said handing her the ammunition she requested and the bayonette.  
  
"Thank you." Aya smiled.  
  
"Agent Brea, this is Robert Fri, he's the director of the Smithsonian." Scully introduced. Robert Fri was a tall man with chestnut hair and wore thin brimmed glasses.  
  
"Thank you, Agent Scully." Aya smiled. "Director did you bring the map of this building I requested?"  
  
"I have it right here." He said unrolling the map. It was a simple rectangular building with eight open sections for display on the first floor. On the far right was a circular room, which was the cafeteria. On the second floor there were four exhibit rooms and three-theatre rooms.  
  
"Where's the Xeno Stone?"  
  
"In the Planetary Exhibition on the second floor to the far right." The director pointed.  
  
"Thank you." Aya sighed.  
  
"Anything else I can help you with?"  
  
"Yeah, do you have rats?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"In the building, do you have rats, mice, cockroaches any life forms that I may come into." Aya didn't mean any disrespect to the director, but she needed to know what sort of mitochondrion creatures she may run into.  
  
"Why?" The director asked.  
  
"Just answer the question, director." Aya said with frustration. The last thing she wanted to do was to explain mitochondrion creatures again.  
  
"There are no rats in the building I assure you." The director replied with smug arrogance.  
  
"What about bugs?"  
  
"We have no infestation that we know about, but we can't keep all the bugs that the public bring in." The director smugly replied.  
  
"Thank you director, that'll be all." Aya said not being totally convinced by the director's statement. "Please stay around, just incase I run into problems in there." Aya said taking a deep breath and sighed. "I'm ready."  
  
"Good luck." Broderick said giving his partner the vacuum box.  
  
"Thanks." Aya smiled. She walked towards the police barricade and flashed her identification and walked another six feet towards the building. She stuck her hand into the air and felt a burning, tingling feeling around her hand. She quickly retracted.  
  
"Are you okay?" Broderick came through the intercom.  
  
"Fine." Aya lied. This was the first time that she felt a burning sensation when passing a barrier. It wasn't strong, just a tiny tingling of the skin, like a small itch. She took a deep sigh and pass through the barrier.  
  
"I'm in." Aya said entering the building with her gun at the ready. "The power's out, it rather dark." Aya reported as she circumspect the room and caught a pile of white ashes to the corner. "I think I found the remains of a security guard." Aya said running towards the pile of ashes. "He's dead, been incinerated to ashes." Aya said solemnly as she checked his uniform and found his identification. "His name is Morris Spencer."  
  
"We'll contact the family." Broderick said via the intercom. Aya checked the remaining pockets of the uniform and found two keys and put them in her pocket. In the background she heard a ruckus. Because of the echoing effect in the museum she wasn't sure where the sound was coming from.  
  
"What was that?" Broderick's voice came through.  
  
"I don't know." Aya sighed. "Is the radar picking up anything?" She knew that it probably didn't, but she asked just in case.  
  
"No." Scully came through.  
  
"Is the director with you?" Aya asked.  
  
"He's right here." Scully replied.  
  
"Ask him how I can power the elevator?" Aya asked waiting impatiently. She could hear her heart beat. It felt like a drum being pounded in her chest. "Come on Scully, hurry up." She whispered to herself.  
  
"The director said that there's a fuse box in the cafeteria which could reroute power to the elevator in case of emergencies." Scully replied. "The cafeteria is to..."  
  
"My right." Aya acknowledged. She headed into the main foyer and turned right. She heard another sound this time she knew where it came from. It emanated from in front of her, the cafeteria. 'Oh, great.' She thought. Aya quickly, but carefully walked towards the cafeteria.  
  
She stopped after a couple of meters and felt her cells warning her of an impeding danger - a sixth sense that she's developed about six years ago. Her heart pounded harder and louder, the bitter taste of adrenaline was in her mouth.  
  
She heard a buzzing surrounding her and saw three flies the sizes of her fists. The flies had two giant black eyes and fangs protruding from their mouths. 'Just flies, this shouldn't be a problem.' Aya thought remembering how easy these Mitochondrion Creatures were to defeat. Aya raised her gun and aimed at the first fly.  
  
The three flies darted at her firing missiles from their mouths. Aya's pupils dilated as the missiles screamed towards her. She jumped out of the way and swore to herself. She had forgotten that these Mitochondrion Creatures were extra-terrestrial in nature and weren't the typical flies she battled in the past. "What the hell was that?" Mulder's voice came ringing through.  
  
"Just some bugs." Aya responded taking three shots to the closest fly with their back turned against her. The flies came around for a second attack. The two remaining flies zoomed past by her firing their missiles at her again. Aya jumped out of the way, but was caught by one of the flies razor edge wings cutting her right cheek. "Damn." She swore tasting the blood in her mouth. It was a superficial cut and ignored it. "That does it." She swore. The remaining two flies darted towards her with the missiles at the ready coming out of their mouths. Aya shoot twice, aiming not at the flies, but at the missiles. The explosion engulfed the flies in flames killing them.  
  
Aya reported that she was fine and continued towards the cafeteria. The sounds of life became louder as she approached the cafeteria. "I'm entering the cafeteria now. I'm expecting danger." Aya report.  
  
"Confirmed." Broderick replied.  
  
She tried to open the door, but it was lock. She went into her pocket and took one of the keys and tried it. The key fit and turned. Aya took a deep breath and kicked the door open seeing four giant rats about her size rushing towards her. "Damn." She swore dropping the vacuum box. Lasers were emanating from their tails as she rushed to the nearest table and kicked it down ducking behind it for protection.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Broderick said.  
  
"Nothing." Aya said. She stood up from behind the table taking four shots at the nearest rat and hid behind the table again. "Just tell the Director that he has rat problems." Aya said taking another four shots killing the rat. She took the last seven shots at one rat ducking every three of four shots. "Where are the fuses?" Aya yelled through her intercom as she changed the cartridge of her gun. She quickly got up and shot once hitting the rat she shot seven times before killing it.  
  
"It's in a cupboard behind the kitchen counter." Scully came back. Aya looked down towards the counter and estimated that it was about twenty meters away. There was another table halfway between her destination and her present position. Aya got up and headed towards the table shooting aimlessly behind her as she ran. She was about to reach the table when a laser from one of the rats shoot her hand flinging her gun five meters away and behind her. "Damn." She swore. The gun was near the table a row above from where she started.  
  
She had no choice - she had to use her parasite energy. 'Which one.' She thought. 'Antibody.' She felt the earth's energy surged from the ground enveloping her as she released her parasitic energy. She felt her defense growing stronger as she rushed towards her gun grabbing it and rolled towards the table nearby, knocking it down for protection. She was shot five times during her stunt. Aya was in pain - she could feel her life draining away from her. She cast Healing and felt the cool, healing powers of the water, refreshing her health.  
  
"That does it you're going down." Aya said getting up from the protection of her table taking another four shots. She repeated the procedure three more times and killed the two remaining rats.  
  
Aya changed her cartridge and headed towards the cafeteria door and checked on the vacuum box. 'Undamaged.' Aya sighed with relief. She picked it up and headed towards the counter and searched the cupboards pertinently and found a box of fuses. "Where's the fuse box?" Aya asked waiting for Scully's answer.  
  
"In the broom closet." Scully returned.  
  
"Thanks." Aya replied. She looked behind her and entered the closet carefully. Two flies darted her way instinctively she raised her right hand and commanded the mitochondria in her body to generate electricity which emanated from her hand which exploded the missiles engulfing their carriers, she felt a surge of wind breezing as the bolts shot out of her hand. Aya raised the other hand protecting her eyes from the explosion.  
  
She went into the broom closet and opened the fuse box looking for the one marked elevator and replaced it. Aya heard the humming of electricity running through the pipes. "I restored power to the elevator and heading to it now." Aya report.  
  
"Roger." Broderick replied.  
  
The elevator was at the opposite end from the cafeteria. On the way, she encountered three more Mitochondrion flies and quickly killed them. She pressed the button for the elevator when she heard a creaking sound coming from above her. She looked up and saw a giant spider standing on the Wright Brother's glider.  
  
"Oh my God." She swore to herself as she saw silk emanating from the spider's mouth gluing her to the wall. Her gun dropped from her right hand as the vacuum box from her left. She felt an electrical surge coursing through her body that emanated from the webbing. The spider ran quickly towards her as she tried to use her parasitic energy, but was interrupted as the spider bit her.  
  
She was poisoned. Aya didn't give the spider the satisfaction of a scream. After the attack she quickly commanded the mitochondria within her body to produce heat. The Inferno power drained her parasitic energy stock, but it served its purpose, destroying the web and pushing the spider away from her. Aya quickly picked up her gun and fired frantically as the spider rushed towards her. She fired through the whole cartridge and the spider stilled came towards her. "Damn." She swore grabbing her bayonette and swing at the spider killing the mitochondrion creature. She quickly cast Metabolism and felt the healing power of the water element and felt the poison feeling from her body.  
  
"You okay?" Broderick asked.  
  
"Aren't I always?" Aya smiled putting the bayonette away and retrieving her gun as she changed cartridges. "I'm going into the elevator now." Aya reported. 'I'm almost done.' Aya sighed to herself. The Xeno Stone was on the other side of the hall. She slowly, but carefully rushed down the hall. Aya encountered four more flies and took care of them easily. Among the dead bodies she found a Pike for her M4A1 Rifle. 'A curious item.' Aya thought. She decided to keep it dropping her 9mm bullets. 'At least I have the Hydra bullets left." She thought.  
  
"I'm approaching the Xeno Stone." Aya reported. It was encased under bulletproof glass. She saw a lock on the podium where the stone was laid. Aya inserted the second key and turned it. Aya heard the lock clicked and slowly opened the glass. 'This is too easy.' Aya thought.  
  
Before her eyes Aya saw a bacterium growing on the rock. "Why do I always have to be right?" Aya sighed. It jumped on Aya and grew until it reached the ceiling.  
  
It was suffocating Aya as its weight was growing. Aya put her palms on the ground and slide herself away from the bacterium. 'At least it's slippery.' She thought. Aya flipped backwards and shot the remaining 9mm bullets in her cartridge, it rebound from the bacterium. In response the bacterium produce a sonic boom. It made Aya flew in the air slamming against the wall hard. She lost her voice. 'Damn.' She thought. 'Can't use my parasitic energy.'  
  
Aya quickly dropped her cartridge still filled with 9mm bullets and replaced it with the 9mm Hydra bullets. They bullets were slightly stronger and more effective against flesh creatures not bacteria. 'Might as well try.' Aya thought. She shot four times, each time the bullets rebounded. 'Damn.' She dropped the cartridge and her gun. In response the bacterium created another sonic boom she ran behind the arch for protection.  
  
She tried to speak but nothing came out. Aya took out her M4A1 Rifle and took off the bayonette extension and replaced it with the Pike. Aya checked the battery and saw that she had enough for sixty seconds. 'Die you alien bacteria scum.' She thought.  
  
Aya ran within range and pressed the trigger. A huge column of fire spiraled towards the giant bacterium. She heard it scream in pain Aya rather enjoyed it. She kept her finger on the trigger until the battery drained. In response the bacterium punched Aya with one of it's many flagella. The impact slammed her against the wall.  
  
If it weren't for her armour, she would have been paralyzed. She was grateful that she picked wisely. She went behind the wall and switched the Pike with the bayonette extension. 'How can I get close enough?' She thought. She stood up and accidentally hit a display in the room she was in making a loud crash. The bacterium responded to the sound and headed towards the sound. 'Of course, it's blind, but could hear through the vibration in the air.' Aya thought holding the Pike extension. She threw it at the model of Saturn in the opposite side of the room where the bacterium was. It fell down producing a loud noise; the bacterium responded in kind and headed towards the new noise. 'Not really smart.' Aya sighed rushing towards its back slashing it with all her might. The bacterium tried to turn around and attack her, but was defeated before it could counterattack. It was defeated and Aya found a Stim among the wreckage and injected herself with it.  
  
She could speak again. "I'm okay." Aya said breathlessly. Her partner had been going out of his mind asking if she were okay.  
  
"Why didn't you answer?" Broderick freaked out.  
  
"I lost my voice for a moment." Aya said nonchalantly. "I'm fine now." Aya reassured. She checked on the vacuum box and was relieved that it was fine and headed towards the stone. "I believe the mitochondrion field has been disabled." Aya said. "Approach with caution, just in case."  
  
"Roger." Broderick answered.  
  
"I putting the stone in the vacuum..." Aya didn't have the chance to finish her statement. Something from behind Aya hit her in the back.  
  
"Aya! Aya! Answer me." Broderick's voice came frantically through the intercom. Aya saw the perpetrator before her world blacked out. "Agent down! Agent down!" Broderick voice came through, that was the last words Aya heard before blacking out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya woke up laying on a metallic table. She felt groggy; there was a bright light shining in front of her. Everything was blurry and white; she could hear her heart beat all around her. A dark humanoid silhouette hovered above her. It looked familiar. "What are you doing to me?" Aya said weakishly.  
  
"Aya! Wake up!" She heard Broderick's voice coming from outside. She ignored her partner's voice.  
  
"What's going on?" Aya said weakly.  
  
"Anesthetize her." The dark shadow said.  
  
"Yes sir." Another voice came from the shadows.  
  
"No." She weakly protested.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya opened her eyes frantically. She was back in the museum with Broderick, Mulder and Scully standing around her. 'It must have been a dream.' Aya thought.  
  
"Agent Brea are you okay?" Scully asked.  
  
"Yeah. Fine." Aya responded. "I was attacked."  
  
"Evidently." Broderick smiled. "It's good to see that you're fine."  
  
"The Xeno Stone." Aya gasped.  
  
"Gone." Mulder said. "Did you see the perpetrator?"  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed.  
  
"Well." Mulder waited impatiently. "Give us a description."  
  
"Agent Mulder, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you...actually maybe you would." Aya smiled to herself. "Com'on let's go, I'll tell you on the way." Aya said getting up.  
  
F.B.I. Headquarters, J. Edgar Hoover Building  
Washington, District of Columbia  
20:00 EST  
  
"You saw what!" Skinner yelled slamming the file down on his desk.  
  
"I...it's in the re...report." Aya stuttered.  
  
"You expect me to file this!" Skinner continued.  
  
"It's the truth." Aya replied confidently. "It's what I saw."  
  
"You're expecting me to believe that you saw an alien stole the Xeno Stone?"  
  
"I didn't say alien." Aya corrected.  
  
"No, you said you saw a three foot, green skinned, black eyed, humanoid like creature taking the Xeno Stone before blacking out." Skinner read. "It's sounds like an alien to me!"  
  
"I have a theory." Aya sighed.  
  
"This better be good." Skinner barked.  
  
"I believe it may be an advanced form of a Mitochondrion Creature." Aya suggested.  
  
"Or it could be an extra-terrestrial biological entity." Mulder smiled.  
  
"I don't need that right now Agent Mulder." Skinner said with frustration. He took a deep breath and recomposed himself. "Are you going to stand by to what you wrote?"  
  
"Yes." Aya replied.  
  
"All right. Dismissed." Skinner sighed. The four agents got up from their seats and were about to leave the assistant director's office.  
  
"Sir do we know where the Xeno Stone is?" Aya sighed.  
  
"No. We don't." Skinner sighed.  
  
"Thank you." Aya sighed leaving the room.  
  
The air was significantly cooler outside the office as Aya took a deep breath. She failed a mission, the first in her F.B.I. career.  
  
"Whoa! Did you see that vein on his forehead pop?" Mulder said enthusiastically. "I've never seen the Skin man so mad," Mulder smiled. "And trust me, I've seen him mad."  
  
"Sounds like you're an expert in that area." Aya smiled.  
  
"He's the king." Scully answered sarcastically.  
  
"Well it looks like this is where we part." Mulder said.  
  
"I guess it is." Broderick sighed. "Well thank you for your help Agents, we better get to our motels." Broderick said. "Good luck in your future endeavors and your search for truth." Broderick shook hands.  
  
"Thank you. It's been a pleasure working with you too." Scully answered.  
  
"Ahh. Agent Brea may I speak with you in private?" Mulder asked nervously.  
  
"Sure." Aya smiled suspiciously. "I'll meet you at the motel." Broderick nodded and left the hallway with Agent Scully. "What's up?" Aya asked.  
  
"Um...I was wondering if you want to grab some dinner sometime." Mulder nervously asked. He sounded unexpressed, something that he doesn't normally do.  
  
"Are you asking me out on a date Agent Mulder?"  
  
"Yeah." Mulder sighed. "Why you don't want..."  
  
"No, it's not that." Aya stuttered. "I just thought you and Agent Scully were..."  
  
"No, we're just partners." Mulder defended. "So...dinner?"  
  
"Are you asking me because you're interested in me, or are you asking because I'm a living X-File?" Aya returned.  
  
"Am I that transparent?" Mulder smiled.  
  
"Just don't play poker with me." Aya smiled.  
  
"I just want the truth of what you are." Mulder sighed.  
  
"The truth, Agent Mulder is sometimes unbelievable." Aya smiled.  
  
"Try me." Mulder smiled.  
  
"You know I can't do that." Aya returned.  
  
"So that's no for dinner."  
  
"I'm sorry, Agent Mulder, I'm involved." Aya smiled. "But it was tempting." She said leaving the agent alone.  
  
Brea's Motel Room  
Washington, District of Columbia  
23:00 EST  
  
It has been a bad day, a long day, and a day that she would rather quickly want to forget. She failed in a mission for the first time. She wondered how careless she could be not hearing someone approaching from behind her. She couldn't get the fact that she failed. 'No the mission was not a failure, just extended.' Aya thought encouraging herself.  
  
She lay in her bed looking at the ceiling. 'I wonder what Kyle is up to?' Aya contemplated. 'He better not be doing something stupid.' Aya sighed. She wanted to fall asleep, to forget what had transpired through the day. Yet even that would be taken away from her.  
  
"Aya you in?" Broderick asked from behind her door.  
  
"What is it Rupert." Aya said unlocking the door.  
  
"Quick turn your television on to C.N.N." Broderick said making his way through the threshold of her room and turned Aya's television on. Aya knew that there was trouble.  
  
Aya joined Broderick on her bed and watched with the new cast. "What's going on?" Aya asked.  
  
"It's coming on in a few minutes." Broderick replied. They sat in silent for a couple of moments. "So what did Agent Mulder want with you?" Broderick reached.  
  
"Just a date." Aya sighed.  
  
"I thought he and Agent Scully were..."  
  
"There just partners."  
  
"Why don't I believe that." Broderick sighed. "Here it is." Broderick said turning up the volume.  
  
"Earlier tonight Dr. Robert Smith escape from Mount Sinai Hospital and is reported in the New York City area. If you see him, please stay away, he is consider unarmed but dangerous, he is still under quarantine and must be..."  
  
Aya's mobile telephone rang. She knew who it was, so did her partner. Broderick turned down the volume as she answered the phone. "Brea."  
  
"Baldwin here, are you watching..."  
  
"Yeah." Aya interrupted.  
  
"You're new orders are to go to New York and recapture Dr. Smith dead or alive." Baldwin ordered.  
  
"What about the Xeno Stone?"  
  
"It'll have to wait."  
  
"I understand." Aya sighed hanging up the phone. "I guess we're going back to New York." Aya sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Broderick sighed brushing his goatee. He was worried, the fact of the matter was, he didn't want to go back to New York - neither of them did.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the X-Files Genre is also not my invention and the property of Twentieth Century Fox - no profit was made from the writing of this fan fiction. [3] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous two clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	3. Mnemosyne's Song.

MITOCHONDRION EPIDEMIC  
By: Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: I have a confession to make. I thought I finished Parasite Eve II game and had assumed that Eve was killed. It wasn't until a review from Ken Arromdee (I think), that prompted me to consider that Eve did survive. After doing some reading on FFnet and the net it seemed that she did indeed survived. A few questions arose because of that fact, i.e., how old was she? Her history, etc. That's where I came into some difficulties I have read that Eve was anywhere between three to twelve years old in the game. Which brought me several other problems, so an executive decision had to be made. I assume Eve to be ten years old when Aya met her, so she would be thirteen in my story which takes place three years later (I thought things might be more interesting if Eve was a pre-adolescent). From this simple, yet profound revelation I ended up having too many threads in this chapter then I would have liked, but it's manageable. Sorry for the long Author's Note and the tardiness in getting this chapter up. I have been busy with school and had writer's block for the longest time. I hope the wait was worth it. Enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER THREE: MNEMOSYNE'S SONG  
  
Situation Room, White House  
Washington, District of Columbia  
July 14, 2003 05:00 EST  
  
Louis J. Freeh, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation navigated his way through the plethora of interns and secretaries to reach his destination - the Situation Room. Freeh hasn't been in the White House for quite some time, but he didn't need any directions or escorts to get where he needed to be.  
  
The Situation Room was where the Department of Defense, the Head of the National Guards and other high ranking governmental officials meet to discuss emergencies that threaten National Security. As Director of the Bureau, he was not usually privy to these meetings. Yet on the rare occasion, like this one where he was invited he knew that something major was afoot.  
  
He opened the door without knocking. Admirals, Generals, high governmental officials, and Relevant White House Staff looked up to silently greet him. That silent motion stopped the Military Police from kicking him out. He saw the President sitting at the head of the table, to his right the Secretary of Defense and his left the White House Chief of Staff.  
  
"Ah, Director Freeh, now that you're here we can begin."  
  
"I'm sorry for being tardy..."  
  
"Understood." The President quickly dismissed. Freeh quickly went to the only available seat and quietly waited for the meeting to start. The President cleared his throat and took a deep sigh. "About zero seven hundred hours yesterday morning Eastern Standard Time, Patient Zero from the Gilgamesh Project escaped from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia."  
  
"The Gilgamesh Project." Freeh blurted aloud. "I'm sorry I thought we deemed the project too risky and put an end to it." He was not normally this insubordinate to his superiors, to his Commander and Chief, but he was caught off guard.  
  
"Officially, yes, but unofficially..." The Surgeon General responded with a hint of bitterness in his voice.  
  
"Do we know where Patient Zero was heading?" The White House Chief of Staff asked.  
  
"We have a theory." A General spoke. "We suspected that Patient Zero was heading towards the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution for reasons yet unknown."  
  
"I may have a theory." Freeh spoke out of turn. "One of our operatives, codename Hunter entered the National Air and Space Museum to retrieve the Xeno Stone for disposal as per order from the United Nations...Hunter failed."  
  
"Was Hunter killed?" The Surgeon General asked with concern.  
  
"No." Freeh quickly answered. "Hunter successfully retrieved the Xeno Stone, but was knocked out from behind, before she could get it out of the museum."  
  
"Did Hunter see the perpetrator?"  
  
"Yes." The director sighed. "At first I didn't believe it when I read it, but Hunter claims that the attacker looked like an alien."  
  
"An alien?" The President asked with confusion. "I don't suppose when you say alien, you mean an immigrant." The President said with cold sarcasm.  
  
"No, I mean an extra-terrestrial."  
  
"Are you telling me that Hunter saw E.T. steal the Xeno Stone?" The President facilitated with a hint of anger and frustration in his voice. "What did he need the stone to phone home?"  
  
"No wait sir, that makes sense." The Surgeon General quickly added. "If Hunter was hit hard on the back of the head where the nerves for sight is located in the brain than what Hunter perceived as an extra-terrestrial may have been in fact Patient Zero." The President seemed unconvinced. "Think about it, if Hunter saw a three feet green skin person - it describes Patient Zero's height and the green hue could be due to the fact..."  
  
"All right." The President agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Do you know where the Xeno Stone now?"  
  
"We're not sure." Freeh hated to admit that.  
  
"What about Patient Zero?" The President asked.  
  
"We're not sure." The General replied.  
  
The President gave a frustrating sigh. "I want Patient Zero and that Stone found and destroyed." He ordered.  
  
"Aye sir." One of the Generals responded. "Is Hunter looking for the Stone."  
  
"No, Hunter was ordered to handle the situation in New York, but we do have agents looking for it." Freeh reported.  
  
"I'm afraid that you may have a bigger problem Director." The President added.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"It seems that Interpol wants to conscript Hunter to help with the epidemics happening all over the world." All eyes shoot up at the President. Everyone was surprised, and they had a right to be. "I know it's bad news, but the United Nations recognizes the international urgency and reluctantly gave Interpol's jurisdiction in this matter. Therefore, first thing tomorrow morning I am ordered to hand over Hunter to them." The President sighed.  
  
"I understand." Freeh replied, still in shock. "I think it's the right idea and I don't want to sound selfish, but who would help out with our epidemic if Hunter is galloping around the world?"  
  
"What about Nimrod?"  
  
"Nimrod?" Freeh gasped. "That operative is too young and inexperienced."  
  
"Has she received the proper training?"  
  
"To some extent, but even if Nimrod was ready, the operative is still too young and inexperienced for a mission of this magnitude."  
  
"I understand Director, but what do YOU suggest we do?" The President asked rhetorically. Freeh was speechless. "You are ordered to give Nimrod temporary F.B.I. status to help with our epidemic and the retrievals of Patient Zero and the Xeno Stone." The President said forcefully.  
  
"Aye, sir." The Director sighed, agreeing reluctantly. "If you'll excuse me I have to make an urgent phone call."  
  
"No problem." The President sighed. "We're done here, but I want updates every hour on the hour and we'll meet here again tonight at twenty-three hundred hours." The President ordered. "Dismissed."  
  
The room quickly thinned as Freeh headed towards a private spot in the busy White House hallways. He pressed a series of eleven digits on his mobile phone and waited patiently for the person to answer.  
  
"Baldwin here, this better be good." Eric Baldwin answered rudely.  
  
Freeh looked at his watch and realized that it was nearly three o'clock in the morning in California. "Hal, this is Louis."  
  
"Louis?" Baldwin retorted with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I'm sorry, it's just that..."  
  
"There's no need to explain." Freeh quickly forgave. "I forgot that there is a three hour difference between California and D.C., but we have trouble."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I can't discuss it over the phone, but...NIMROD." Freeh said. The line went silent. "Hal? Did you hear me?"  
  
"Yeah." Hal said breathlessly. "I'll be catching the first flight out of Los Angeles." Hal said.  
  
"I'll see you soon." Freeh said hanging up the phone.  
  
Brea's Motel Room  
Washington, District of Columbia  
05:00 EST  
  
Aya found herself lying on a metallic table. The bright white light pained her eyes. Her heartbeat and the sounds of medical equipment were all she could hear. "What are you doing to me? What's going on?" She weakly said to the dark silhouette.  
  
"Anesthetize her." The voice sounded hollow.  
  
"Yes sir." A different voice said.  
  
"No." She weakly protested. Then there was white.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya was sitting in a hospital bed feeling rather nervous. White light encompassed her, the whole room; her heart beat a faint background sound. "Aya, How are you feeling?" A tall dark man entered.  
  
"Fine." Aya smiled. "I'll feel better if my boyfriend could be here for this." Aya sighed with frustration. "I wish I could tell him about my situation."  
  
"I understand, but this is a highly sensitive area and your condition must be kept top secret." The black doctor replied. He put a sticky substance on Aya stomach and than put a scanning instrument on top of it.  
  
Aya shuddered from the cold of the metallic instrument as the doctor moved the instrument around. "I know doctor." Aya sighed. "It just doesn't make it any easier." Aya sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry." The doctor sighed. "It has to be this way."  
  
"I know." Aya sighed.  
  
"Do you want to know the sex of the child?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya sat up in bed, her heart in her throat. She was breathing very hard and her body was soaked with perspiration. She turned off the alarm clock and sat on her bed for a while. It took her sometime to get her bearings, she realized that she wasn't home, but in a motel room. "Just a dream." Aya sighed.  
  
Aya went into her modest bathroom turning on the faucet. She took a deep sigh and splashed her face with the cold water. Her reflection in the mirror showed bags under her eyes; she hasn't been sleeping well. This was the first time she had this dream, but it seemed strangely more than that. That worried her. 'No, it's just a dream.' She tried to convince herself, albeit unsuccessfully.  
  
Her teal eyes were shimmering invariably, glistening like blue green newborn stars. They ceaselessly radiate under any condition even when she looked like hell. Kyle had once told her that it was easy for any man to get lost in them, something she doubted ardently.  
  
She reached out and touched the reflection of her left eye. 'Maya.' She reminisced. Aya realized a couple years ago that her left eye, the eye she required from her deceased sister, Maya, were two tints lighter. A difference so minutia that she almost missed it.  
  
She headed towards the shower to start her day.  
  
Washington Dulles International Airport  
Washington, District of Columbia  
08:00 EST  
  
It was a quiet morning. Aya and Broderick barely said three words to each other, not because they were tired, because they were, but because they had things on their minds. They had a quiet car ride to the airport and it seemed that they would have a quiet flight to New York.  
  
They had gestures telling the world that they were worried, Broderick would stroke his goatee, while Aya would bite her lower lip. Broderick noticed his partner's apprehension. "A penny." Broderick said nonchalantly.  
  
"What?" Aya asked coming out of her gaze.  
  
"For your thoughts." Broderick explained.  
  
"Oh," Aya sighed. "It's hardly worth that much." Aya smiled unconvincingly.  
  
"Try me." Broderick smiled.  
  
"It's rather silly." Aya sighed. "Just bad dreams."  
  
"You too?" Broderick sighed.  
  
"Tell me about yours." Aya probed.  
  
"After you."  
  
"I asked you first." Aya smiled.  
  
"I had a dream about my late wife and daughter." Broderick sighed.  
  
Aya knew that Rupert had lost his family during the Mitochondria Eve Revolution six years ago in New York City, but that was about it. During the past six years Rupert had not volunteered any information about his family. "Do you want to talk about it?" Aya asked futilely.  
  
"Not really." Broderick sighed. "They're just dreams that would never come true." Broderick clarified.  
  
"Yeah...I guess you dream of things you can't have." Aya sighed enigmatically, biting her lower lip as she gazed into the vista of seats.  
  
"Care to explain that?"  
  
"I had a dream that I was pregnant." Aya sighed.  
  
"Why can't you have children?" Broderick instantly regretted asking the question as soon as it came out. "I'm sorry, that's none of my business."  
  
"That's all right, Rupert." Aya sighed. "The reason I can't have any children is simple: I'm barren." She said above a whisper. "Doctors said that I was born that way."  
  
"Care to talk about it."  
  
"Not really." Aya sighed. Suddenly the flight attendant announced the boarding procedures to their flight came ringing through. Aya looked at her partner and returned the smile. "I guess we should be getting on our way." Aya hinted.  
  
"Yeah." Broderick sighed. 'New York.' He thought. 'Why does it have to be New York?'  
  
Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport  
Atlanta, Georgia  
10:00 EST  
  
Director Freeh waited impatiently for Baldwin's flight to come in. He has been waiting for his friend for about two hours, ever since he got here. Then again, Washington D.C. is significantly closer to Atlanta than California, but Freeh, like most agents hated to wait - even if it was for a friend.  
  
Freeh and Hal had been friends for a long time. They entered the Bureau roughly the same time and blazed ahead of their other classmates. Baldwin was even considered by the President to be the Director of the Bureau, but respectfully declined for reason still unknown to Freeh.  
  
He walked towards the waiting area scanning for his friend. Baldwin was one of the first people out. Probably because he didn't bring any luggage and therefore didn't have to wait for it. They made eye contact and walked towards each other.  
  
"Hello, old friend. It's been a long time."  
  
"Yes it has." Baldwin smiled. "It's good to see you."  
  
"Likewise." Freeh said.  
  
"Now that the salutations are over, why is Washington so interested in Nimrod now?" Baldwin asked bluntly.  
  
Freeh looked around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. "Your questions would be answered, but not here. Come, let's grab some brunch."  
  
John F. Kennedy International Airport  
New York, New York  
11:00 EST  
  
The metallic table felt cold and sterile. The bright white light was the only thing she could see. The thumping of her heart echoed and the faint sound of medical instruments beeping were the only sounds she could hear. "What are you doing to me? What's going on?" She said to the silhouette.  
  
"Anesthetize her." The voice echoed.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"No." She weakly protested. Then there was white.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya was transported to a hospital bed instantly feeling rather nervous. White light encompassed the whole room and her heart beat echoed in the background. "Aya, How are you feeling?" A tall dark man entered.  
  
"Fine." Aya smiled. "I'll feel better if my boyfriend could be here for this." Aya sighed with frustration. "I wish I could tell him about my situation."  
  
"I understand, but this is a highly sensitive area and your condition must be kept top secret." Her doctor replied.  
  
"I know doctor." Aya sighed. "It just doesn't make it any easier."  
  
"I'm sorry." The doctor sighed. "It has to be this way."  
  
"I know." Aya sighed.  
  
"Do you want to know the sex of the child?" Then there was white.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya stood before a door, she opened it and walked through the threshold to see a black man sitting behind a desk. "Happy New Year, Doctor." Aya smiled.  
  
"Happy New Year Aya." He smiled back. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine." Aya protested.  
  
"Well according to your superior..." He said looking over his file. "Assistant Director Baldwin reports that you have been feeling ill?"  
  
"It's just that I'm feeling faint and nauseous."  
  
"In the morning?" He said with concern.  
  
"Yeah." Aya recollected softly. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just a theory, but you may be pregnant."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey sleeping beauty, wake up!" Broderick smiled.  
  
"Where am I?" Aya said weakly.  
  
"We just landed in New York." Broderick explained. "Dreaming again?"  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. These dreams started to worry her.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine." She lied. "Com'on let's go." Aya said leading the way. "We have a mission to complete."  
  
Brea and Broderick slowly walked through the prejudice aisles of the plane with some difficulty then through a series of corridors that they quickly meandered through. As they entered the waiting area, Aya was hit with a wave of nostalgia...  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
John F. Kennedy International Airport  
New York, New York  
January 4, 1998 09:00 EST   
  
"Godspeed." Dollis said. "The Department is going to miss you." He said giving her a hug.  
  
"Thanks Bo, I'm going to miss you too."  
  
"What about me?"  
  
Aya smiled and got on one knee. "Oh, Ben." Aya smiled. "I'm going to miss you most of all." Aya said giving Ben a hug. "I'm counting on you to take care of your father."  
  
"I will." Ben smiled. "And good luck in the F.B.I."  
  
"Thanks." Aya smiled. She got up and headed down the line to where Kunihiko Maeda. "Good bye Dr. Maeda. I wish you well in your future endeavors." Aya said putting out her hand.  
  
"Ah...before you go I have..."  
  
"Please no more good luck charms." Aya smiled. "Honest I don't need them."  
  
"No, it's not that...it's..."  
  
"Oh sorry, that's my flight." Aya said hearing that it was last call for her to get on her plane. "I gotta go."  
  
"But..." It was too late. She was out of hearing range. She would never know.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Aya!" A familiar voice echoed from the crowded airport.  
  
Aya looked into the direction where the vice emanated. Aya was elated to see two familiar faces waiting for her. "Bo?" Aya smiled running towards him. Daniel "Bo" Dollis was Aya's partner during her short sojourn as an officer for the New York City Police. "It's so good to see you?" Aya smiled.  
  
"Likewise." The forty-eight year old friend smiled.  
  
"How did you know I was on this flight?" Aya asked.  
  
"I have some friends in the Bureau that told me." A white, obese man replied. "It's good to be the Commissioner of police." Douglas Baker smiled. "You have friends in high places."  
  
"Indeed." Aya smiled. "Let me introduce my partner, Agent Rupert Broderick. Rupert these are two good friends of mine Commissioner Douglas Baker and Detective Daniel Dollis."  
  
"We've met." Broderick returned.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, six years ago." Dollis said enigmatically. "And actually, it is captain now." Daniel corrected.   
"Captain?" Aya was surprised. "I didn't think an old war-horse like you would sit quietly in a desk job?" Aya mocked.  
  
"Yeah, well, ever since Lorraine died six years ago...walking the beat is too dangerous and I didn't want Ben to grow up an orphan." Daniel explained.  
  
"I'm sorry." Aya smiled. "How is Ben?"  
  
"I know that there's a temptation to catch up with old times, but we have more pressing matters at hand." Baker replied.  
  
"You're right." Aya smiled. "Do we know the whereabouts of Dr. Robert Smith?"  
  
"No we don't." Baker replied. "But we have men watching his office at N.Y.U. just in case he shows up there."  
  
"Well, let's go." Aya said rushing out of the airport.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"His office, there might be clues there to the whereabouts of Dr. Smith there."  
  
"Our detectives went through that place with a fine tooth comb." Dollis defended.  
  
"I know Bo, but there might be something that your detectives might have missed." Aya pointed out.  
  
"Aya..." Dollis was interrupted by the static sound of his walkie-talkie. "Dollis here." He spoke into it. A garble of noise emanated from the instrument. "We'll be right there...with reinforcements." The last part of the statement was directed at Aya and her partner.  
  
"What's wrong?" Aya asked.  
  
"Mount Sinai had to be evacuated because of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures." Dollis explained ominously. "I figure that you..."  
  
"Let's go." Aya said with determination.  
  
Buckhead Diner  
Atlanta, Georgia  
12:00 EST  
  
Eric Baldwin enjoyed Creole food. He tried to eat it every time he gets when he's in the South. The Buckhead Diner is a four star restaurant which is proud to offer the traditional Creole style food.  
  
Louis Freeh had explained what happened in the Situation Room earlier that morning, that is almost everything, Patient Zero was keep confidential and Baldwin didn't have to know, at least not now. Freeh knew that Baldwin wouldn't take the news well.  
  
"So we have no choice in the matter." Baldwin quietly said.  
  
"I'm afraid not."  
  
"Does Hunter know?"  
  
"Not yet. We were hoping that you'll..."  
  
"I'll do it." Baldwin answered. "I hate it, but I'll do it."  
  
"I sympathize with you." Freeh sighed. "You know it's the right thing to do."  
  
"Is it?"  
  
"Hunter could save more lives this way."  
  
"I know." Baldwin sighed. "But Nimrod is too young and inexperienced."  
  
"I raised the same objections to the President, but we have no choice."  
  
"You're right." Baldwin sighed. He took a lingering look at his old friend and realized that there was something off. "Why do I get the feeling that you're hiding something?" Baldwin asked scanning his friend's demeanor.  
  
Freeh sighed. "Hal, there are some things that I can't tell you...at least not yet."  
  
"I understand. I don't like it, but I understand." Baldwin sighed. "Let's pay a visit to Nimrod."  
  
Mount Sinai Hospital  
New York, New York  
12:30 EST  
  
Brea, Broderick, Dollis, and Baker quickly drove through the perpetual energetic city of New York. The city that never sleeps brought back memories both good and bad for the two F.B.I. agents.  
  
Dollis took a sharp right turn and stopped his car in front of Mount Sinai Hospital. There was a police blockade preventing the populace from getting into the hospital. Dollis lead the team to the officer in charge. "Report."  
  
"The patients in the intensive care unit and the infant ward has been rerouted to St. Mary's and St. Francis Hospitals. The last of the doctors are now existing the building as I speak." The officer replied.  
  
"Any fatalities?" Dollis asked.  
  
"No. Thankfully." The officer sighed.  
  
"All right, we're going in." Dollis ordered.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"That's an order." Dollis said sternly.  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
Daniel Dollis led the group, sans Douglas Baker towards the hospital with determination. "Daniel, where are you going?" Aya asked.  
  
"Going in."  
  
"Bo, Rupert and I can handle this." Aya explained loading her gun.  
  
"Aya, you may need..."  
  
"Don't make me pull jurisdiction on you." Aya pointed out. "Besides, I can never forgive myself if Ben ends up an orphan." She pleaded with her old friend.  
  
"Then prepare to write me up." Dollis protested loading his gun.  
  
Aya sighed. She knew that when Daniel gets this stubborn she couldn't do anything to change his mind. "Okay, you better not make me regret this."  
  
"I won't." Dollis smiled.  
  
"All right, let's go." Aya sighed. "You ready?"  
  
"Yeah." Broderick loaded his Mongoose Magnum.  
  
"Then let's go." Aya smiled.  
  
They approached the automatic doors of the hospital and walked over the threshold when the doors silently opened. The smell of formaldehyde made Aya's knees weak and she saw flashback of her recent reoccurring dreams. Broderick caught her in his arms.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah...fine." Aya said weakly. 'Why is this happening to me?' She thought to herself. "Just got a little dizzy." Aya added nonchalantly.  
  
"Are you sure?" Broderick asked.  
  
"Yes, dad I'm fine." Aya mocked. "Com'on, let's get going."  
  
"Lead the way."  
  
The atrium of Mount Sinai was ominously still. The trio walked slowly and carefully across the atrium with Aya leading them. It was too quiet and Aya didn't like it. The cells in her body screamed. "There's something here." Aya reported.  
  
The three formed a triangle and covered the 120-degree arc of their responsible vision. "I don't see anything." Broderick reported.  
  
"Nor I." Dollis replied.  
  
"Me either." Aya replied. "It HAS to be here." Aya insisted.  
  
"Maybe you're wrong." Dollis suggested.  
  
"Not with this." Aya stressed.  
  
"Then if we don't see it, the only other place it could be is..." The trio looked above them and saw a giant spider crawling down its silk thread. Their eyes dilated. Simultaneously they dove away and turn on their backs and started shooting.  
  
The spider gave an insect-like scream and fell on the ground motionless. The three got up ready to continue, but Broderick still shoot at it. "Rupert Stop!" Aya ordered. His gaze was fixated on the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature.  
  
Dollis rushed behind him and stopped him. "It is dead man, let it go."  
  
Broderick returned from his gaze. "I'm sorry." He said above a whisper. "I don't know what got into me."  
  
"You okay?" Aya asked.  
  
"Yeah." She didn't hear her partner replied. Her sixth sense went crazy; she turned around and saw three flies darting towards her. She raised her gun and heard three shoots being made under a silencer; destroying them before the missiles could come out of their mouths.  
  
"Did anyone shoot?" Aya asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"No." The men said in unison.  
  
"Then who did?" Aya asked turning to her partners. In the distant she could see Kyle Madigan, her boyfriend. 'I'm going to kill him.' She thought. Kyle flashed his boyish smile as he walked towards the trio. "What are you doing here?" Aya demanded.  
  
"Isn't obvious?" Kyle smiled. "I'm here to help you."  
  
"Who is this Aya?" Dollis asked. "One of your operatives?"  
  
"No." Aya sighed. "A civilian."  
  
"How did he get through the police barricade?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Please, don't make me laugh." Kyle smiled. "I've gotten through tougher fortifications - that police line was just a tiny obstacle."  
  
"Who is this creep?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Don't worry, he's just my boyfriend who should be in California."  
  
"Kyle Madigan." He stuck out his hand towards Dollis.  
  
"Daniel Dollis, captain of the men and women responsible for that 'tiny obstacle' out there." Dollis said bitterly.  
  
"Sorry." Kyle boyishly smiled.  
  
"Should I escort him out?" Dollis asked.  
  
"No, Bo he could take care of himself." Aya sighed. "Rupert, why don't you partner with Kyle here." Aya suggested.  
  
"Why?" Broderick asked. "Don't you want to be with your boyfriend?"  
  
"No." Aya sighed. "Because right now the only people here who wants to kill him is Bo and I." Aya fumed.  
  
"I'm sorry." Kyle smiled. "I did however cleared most of the first floor from Mitochondrion Creatures." Kyle offered as a peace offering.  
  
"All right, you're forgiven." Aya leaned in and kissed him. "But you're still going with Rupert." Aya smiled. "Rupert you and Kyle take the stairs to the left and take care of the even number floors while Bo and I take these stairs and take the odd number floors, we'll meet on the sixth floor."  
  
Brea and Dollis headed towards the right staircase and thanks to her sixth sense to detect Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures made the job rather simple. It felt like the good old days fighting side by side with her partner. Aya smiled to herself and remembered how safe and naïve she felt when she was with him. 'My how much I changed.' She thought as they reached the sixth floor, the floor where Dr. Robert Smith was kept under quarantine.  
  
The Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures were insignificant in the hospital. Aya encountered a couple of flies and spiders on the way. The same ones that she fought in the National Air and Space Museum yesterday.  
  
"We reached the sixth floor." Broderick reported through her intercom.  
  
"We're on our way." Aya replied. Broderick and Madigan were waiting outside Smith's room. Brea and Dollis caught up to them. "What's wrong?" Aya asked with confusion.  
  
"We can't get in." Kyle demonstrated, putting his hand beyond the threshold of the door. His hand glowed with fire and quickly retracted his hand.  
  
Aya instinctively grabbed his hand to see if it was okay. She looked into his eyes and remembered that her two partners were present in the room. "You know you could have told me instead of doing that."  
  
"Then how would I get you to kiss my wound?" Kyle smiled.  
  
"You're incorrigible." She scoffed.  
  
"That's why you love me." Kyle smiled.  
  
"No that ain't it." Aya mocked back reloading her gun.  
  
She broke through the biohazard warning and walked into Dr. Smith's room. The room was small and rather windy. She noticed that the window was open. 'That's probably how Dr. Smith got out.' Aya thought. She walked towards the window and looked down. 'Nobody could survive this fall.' She thought. 'No one human...that is.'  
  
"What's going on in there?" Aya heard Broderick through the intercom.  
  
"Nothing." Aya sighed. "It's surprisingly quiet." Aya wondered why her sixth sense wasn't activated. There was supposed to be a large and perhaps powerful Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature nearby when a mitochondrion field was placed. 'Come out, come out, where ever you are.' Aya sung to herself.  
  
Her wish came true. Suddenly her senses went crazy. Aya looked and saw a gigantic crow darting towards her. Aya swore to herself. "What's going on?" Broderick asked.  
  
"I found our E.N.M.C." Aya said trying to duck away. She was too late the crow had grabbed her by her shoulders with it's claws and pulled her out of the window. The next thing Aya knew she was several hundred meters in the air. She swore again.  
  
"Aya you're breaking up."  
  
"There's good reason." Aya panted. "I'm approximately three hundred twenty-five meters in the air, heading south-south-east over the hospital." Aya reported.  
  
"Don't do...thing...stupid." Broderick's voice got garbled.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rupert." Aya said. "Can't hear you." She looked up and could only see the crow's stomach. She raised her gun and emptied her round. The crow screeched and dropped Aya.  
  
Aya was in free fall. Wind brushing up her blonde hair. "Broderick if you can hear me, please meet me on the roof." Aya said calmly.  
  
"Roger." Broderick's voice came loud and clear.  
  
Aya landed on her feet and automatically rolled on the ground to lessen the blow. She automatically cast Metabolism and Healing; she could feel the cool, recuperating powers of the waters curing her of her paralysis and her broken bones.  
  
Aya quickly circumspect the roof of the hospital and wondered where her gun has fallen. She spotted three meters to her left. Aya watch the crow and saw its eyes glowed diabolically red. The crow opened its mouth and shoot three fireballs towards Aya.  
  
She somersaulted out of the way grabbing her gun in the process. She reloaded her gun and took aim. 'Too late.' Aya thought. She saw three more fireballs darting towards her.  
  
After dodging the volley of fireballs Aya heard the crow scream with pain. In the distant she could see the men in her team shooting the crow. They triangulate their position around the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature. "Care to help us?" Broderick asked via the intercom.  
  
"Love too." Aya smiled. She took aim with her gun and slowly the triangle surrounding the crow turned into a square. In no time the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature fell crashing to the ceiling, albeit with some reluctance.  
  
The three men rushed towards Aya. "Are you all right?" They asked in unison.  
  
"Fine, gentlemen." Aya smiled. She couldn't help being flattered by all the attention she was getting. "Dollis, tell your men that the hospital has been cleared of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures."  
  
"Done." Dollis said leaving the roof.  
  
"What are we to do now?" Madigan asked.  
  
"WE'RE heading to Dr. Smith's office at N.Y.U. and you're..."  
  
"Following you." Kyle smiled.  
  
Aya chuckled to herself. She wasn't in the mood to fight. "You're so incorrigible." She said smiling.  
  
"I know." Kyle smiled. "That's why you love me so."  
  
"No, that isn't it." Aya mocked. "Com'on let's go." Aya escorted her partner and her boyfriend off the hospital roof.  
  
Dr. Robert Smith's Office, New York University  
New York, New York  
13:30 EST  
  
The four returned to New York University, to the building where Dr. Smith's office. Dr. Smith's Laboratory and Office was aristocratically and beautifully designed. Though the vain exterior was only skin deep. The halls of the building were ordinary and mundane, rather republican in nature. They headed to the top floor and entered his laboratory.  
  
Aya walked through the laboratory and was shocked to see cages of monkeys were placed around the room. "What did Dr. Smith study?" Aya asked. Broderick and Madigan were curious about the same thing.  
  
"He was a microbiologist and geneticist." Dollis replied. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason." Aya sighed. "It just explains the monkeys." Aya said teasing one of the monkeys. "I doubt that Dr. Smith has returned since his metamorphoses." Aya said.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Dollis asked.  
  
"These monkeys, their mitochondria is still dormant." Aya sighed. "Maybe you should remove these animals just in case they do mutate." Aya suggested.  
  
"We've talked to the university, but we have to wait until they find a suitable place to place twenty monkeys." Dollis explained.  
  
"The sooner the better." Aya sighed. "I would hate to kill them." She said, being lost in thought.  
  
"The office is at the end of the laboratory." Dollis said, changing the tone of the subject. He led the trio through the labyrinth of cages and opened the door. "Here it is."  
  
The quartet entered the messy, humble office. "What did your men do destroy the place?" Aya asked.  
  
"No." Dollis smiled. "In fact our men tidy up a bit." Dollis sighed. "You should have seen it, before we came here."  
  
"Scientists." Aya sighed. "Why are great minds always have messy offices?" Aya asked rhetorically.  
  
"Aya come here." Broderick shouted from within.  
  
She dashed towards her partner. "What is it?"  
  
"This picture." Broderick said showing it to her.  
  
"It's Smith and his..."  
  
"Fiancée." Dollis answered. "She lives in Brooklyn."  
  
"This is Coney Island." Aya said looking at the cute couple standing in front of the Ferris Wheel. "Have you talked to her?"  
  
"Yeah." Dollis sighed.  
  
"And his parents." Aya asked.  
  
"Dead ends." Dollis sighed.  
  
"How can a mitochondrion enhanced human eluded the entire New York Police Force." Aya asked rhetorically. She was frustrated and felt helpless. She hated feeling helpless. "Anything else?"  
  
"No." Broderick sighed.  
  
"Why don't we call it day." Aya suggested. "There's nothing we can do, but wait." Aya sighed.  
  
"All right."  
  
"Bo, I like to make the 17th Precinct, F.B.I. base of operation. That is...with your permission." Aya asked.  
  
"No problem." Dollis sighed.  
  
"Broderick, we should head..."  
  
"Actually, Aya." Broderick interrupted her train of thought. "I have something to do...it's personal." Broderick explained. "I'll be there later...I promise...it's just that..."  
  
"I understand." Aya smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Broderick said giving a weak smile. "I'll see later this evening." Aya watched him leave the office in silence.  
  
"What was that all about?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Bad memories." Aya sighed.  
  
"Why don't you and Kyle go on ahead." Dollis suggested. "I'll also have an errand to run." Dollis lied and Aya knew.  
  
"Give him some time, okay Bo?"  
  
"All right." Dollis smiled. "I'll see you at the 17th later."  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed.  
  
"Hey you okay?" Kyle asked wrapping his arm around Aya's waist. He held her tight and smelled her hair.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed.  
  
"Do you know what that was all about?" Kyle asked.  
  
"A common pain." Aya sighed. "Hey." Aya turned around with a smile. "Regardless of what I said before, I AM glad that you came to New York." Aya smiled, running her fingers through his dark brown hair.  
  
"You mean you don't want to kill me anymore?" Kyle smiled, caressing her cheek.  
  
"Of course I do." Aya smiled. "Just not right now." Aya leaned in and kiss him.  
  
"I miss that." Kyle smiled.  
  
"Me too." Aya sighed.  
  
"I have an idea." Kyle smiled. "We blow this case and take the first flight to Tahiti and we can..."  
  
"You know I can't do that." Aya sighed. "Though it was tempting."  
  
"Really?" Kyle sounded surprised.  
  
"No." Aya sighed. "You know how personal this case is to me."  
  
"I do." Kyle sighed with false disappointment.  
  
Aya smiled. "Don't be coy with me Kyle Madigan." Aya said ruffling his hair. "Com'on, we have to go."  
  
National Center of Mitochondrion Control and Studies,  
Center for Disease Control and Prevention  
Atlanta, Georgia  
14:00 EST  
  
It was a beautiful day. Eve sat by her bay window looking through the two-sided mirror for her window. It was designed that way on purpose, she could look out, but people can't look in. She could never go out, she felt like a prisoner in her own home. This was her favourite place in the world.  
  
'Home.' Eve scoffed. 'Do I really know what that means?' For most of her life Eve has been confined into a small room, keep secret from the world. She thought being liberated from Neo Ark in Dryfield, Nevada would mean freedom to her, but instead she was put in a bigger, fancier prison and still dead to the world.  
  
The government reassured Eve that this was a halfway house, but to her it still felt like a prison. She had little freedom; the only place she could wander around is the confines of her prison. Which had a shooting range where Agent Jodie Bouquet teaches her techniques in using firearms; a small dojo where Agent Pierce Carradine teaches Eve the art of hand to hand combat; a gym to get in shape were added to the usual rooms located in a typical house.  
  
When she was liberated from the Neo Ark she didn't know how to speak, read, write or do simple arithmetic so a halfway house was needed to assimilate herself to the world. Today, at thirteen years old, she had the ability to read and do mathematics at a third year collage level, thanks to her eidetic memory.  
  
She may be an intellect academically, but socially she was totally inapt. Eve looked around her room and picked up her teddy bear sitting on her bed. It was the only object that reminded her about Neo Ark. "Hey Boko." She greeted poking at the bear's noise.  
  
It was a tattered, old bear. Brown and missing an eye, the right one. Though it was old, she loved it. "How are you?" She asked not expecting an answer. "I'm bored...bored and lonely." Eve sighed. "I had that dream again...I know, it's a stupid dream...why is it that people dream about things they could never have?"  
  
"You haven't touched your lunch." Agent Jodie Bouquet interrupted Eve's conversation with her teddy bear.  
  
"I'm not hungry."  
  
"What is it?" Agent Jodie Bouquet quietly asked. "Your dream." She added seeing confusion in Eve's face.  
  
"My freedom." Eve replied, putting her teddy bear back on her bed. "To sit in a coffee house and watch the world go by, to go to a mall with my friends and spend money like crazy, to go to high school and try to dodge the teachers when we committed truancy, to fall in love, to kiss a boy, to live." Eve compassionate pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry." Jodie replied. "You can't have that...at least not now."  
  
"Then when?"  
  
"When you're ready."  
  
"When will that be?"  
  
"I don't know." Jodie said sympathetically.  
  
"I feel like a prisoner here."  
  
"You know that's not true."  
  
"Then let me go out."  
  
"You know I can't."  
  
"Don't I have any rights?"  
  
"No." Jodie bluntly answered. "The world thinks you're dead and..."  
  
"Dead people don't have rights." They said in unison.  
  
"If you all ready know the answer than why ask?" Agent Pierce Carradine asked leaning against the doorframe. He had been eavesdropping for some time.  
  
"Can't blame a girl for trying." Eve smiled.  
  
Carradine secretly smiled to himself. "Com'on, you have training." Eve groaned getting off the bed. "Eve you know the sooner you complete your training..."  
  
"The sooner I'll get out." Eve completed Carradine's sentence.  
  
"Don't be smart." Carradine sighed.  
  
Eve was about to walk over the threshold when she bumped into someone. She was surprise, there wasn't suppose to be anyone else on the compound. "Hey watch where you're going?" Eve bellowed.  
  
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me Eve."  
  
Eve recognized the voice. Her pupils dilated and her mood instantaneously took a polar opposite turn. "Uncle Hal?" Eve smiled giving the man a hug.  
  
"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"  
  
"Yeah." Eve smiled. "Did you bring Aya?"  
  
"No, but do you want to see her?"  
  
"Do I?" Eve gleefully smiled. "Oh, yes." Eve said jumping up and down. She couldn't contain her excitement of the news.  
  
"Hal what's going on?" Jodie asked.  
  
"She's NEEDED." Baldwin ominously replied.  
  
"She's not ready."  
  
"That's irrelevant." Freeh said. "The president has called her into service."  
  
"Who are you?" Jodie asked with disrespect.  
  
"Agent Jodie Bouquet, I like to introduce you to Director Louis Freeh, Director of the Bureau." Baldwin introduced. "Over there is Agent Pierce Carradine."  
  
"I...I'm sorry." Jodie was flabbergasted.  
  
"That's all right agent. I understand your frustration." Freeh quickly dismissed. "So this is Nimrod. You're right Hal, she is young."  
  
"My name is Eve and I'm thirteen!" She protested.  
  
"My apologies." Freeh smiled. "So are you ready to see your sister, EVE?" Freeh said stressing the usage of her given name.  
  
"Yeah." Eve smiled. "Where are we going?"  
  
"New York." Baldwin answered ominously, but to Eve it sounded magical.  
  
New York Memorial Monument  
New York, New York 15:00 EST  
  
Rupert Broderick approached the humble monument with two stems of red roses in his hand. It was a simple monument, it resembles the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, but smaller. Broderick walked through the names of the people who tragically lost their lives during the Mitochondria Eve Revolution six years ago. 'Six long years.' Broderick thought to himself.  
  
He walked through the wall of names looking for two particular names. 'Brant, Brock...' He read to himself. 'Ah...Broderick.' He found them: Emily and Rachael Broderick, his wife and daughter. He placed the roses on the ground before their names and slowly got up and brushed his fingers across the ebony marble where their names were carved. "Why?" Broderick asked, his voice cracked at the simple, yet profoundly difficult question. He closed his eyes and allowed a tear escape.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Broderick Residence  
New York, New York  
December 25, 1997 05:00 EST  
  
"Merry Christmas!" A serendipitous little girl ran through the doors of her parent's bedroom. She jumped on their bed waking them up in the process.  
  
"What time is it?" Rupert asked.  
  
Emily raised her father's arm to read his watch. "The big hand is at the three and the little hand is at the five." She said reading the clock's face. "It's...five fifteen." She slowly calculated in her head. "Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas!"  
  
"Come on, Rachael honey let's get up." Rupert moaned.  
  
"I'll go put the coffee on." His wife replied.  
  
"Can I open my presents?" Emily asked, her big brown eyes twinkled with excitement, that only Christmas morning could bring.  
  
"Yeah, just wait for me." Rupert sighed putting his robe on, letting his daughter lead the way downstairs.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Rupert Broderick was leaning against the wall watching his daughter opening her presents. The joy on her face dwarfed the mess that she was making all over the living room. There were scraps of decorative papers and ribbon all over the base of the Christmas Tree; it was like a tornado ran through the house.  
  
"I think you missed one." Broderick said smiling.  
  
"Where?" Emily said scavenging the mountain of papers.  
  
"Have you checked behind the tree?" Rachel Broderick, her mother suggested. "Here's your coffee." She offered her husband the mug.  
  
"Thanks." Rupert smiled taking a sip. "Hmm...this coffee tastes different." Rupert noted. "What did you put in here?"  
  
"Eggnog, I thought I'll be festive..."  
  
"Rachel!" Rupert protested spitting out the coffee.  
  
"It's non alcoholic." Rachel reassured. "I know the Bureau doesn't allow their agents to be intoxicated when on duty." She replied bitterly.  
  
"I HAVE to work."  
  
"On Christmas?"  
  
"Honey, I don't control when deals goes down." Rupert rationalized.  
  
"I know. I know." Rachel sighed. "I just hate it when you have to work...Organized Crimelords are so dangerous...I just don't want to hear that you died doing your duty."  
  
"Honey, I promise this is the last mission."  
  
"That's what you said about the last mission."  
  
"This time it's not an empty promise." Rupert said reassuring his lover. "Robert is being promoted in the New Year, and he said that he'd promote me to assistant director when he does."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"  
  
Rupert sighed. "It was suppose to be your Christmas present." A car from outside honked its horn. "That's my ride. I gotta go." Rupert said giving his mug of coffee back. He grabbed his blazer and quickly dashed out of the house.  
  
"Don't forget to meet us at Central Park tonight for the concert!" Rachel yelled at her husband.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Central Park  
New York, New York  
20:00 EST  
  
Rupert heard that there was an attack at Central Park - at the concert, where Rachel, his wife was. "Please be all right." He said to himself. He checked his rearview mirror and did a sharp left turn and stopped the car behind a police car parked in front of it. He got out and quickly ran towards the entrance.  
  
"Police! You can't go in there."  
  
"F.B.I.!" He said showing his identification.  
  
"But..." The policeman tried to stop him, but was unsuccessful.  
  
Broderick felt his hand combust into flames. "What the..."  
  
"I tried to warn you." The policeman sighed.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know what it is that's keeping us out, but my partner is inside. She'll take of it." The policeman sighed, sitting on the curb. "You have someone in there?"  
  
"Yeah, my wife and daughter. You?" Broderick said joining him.  
  
"My wife, actually ex-wife."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"You and I both." The policeman smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."  
  
"It's Dollis, Detective Daniel Dollis."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I thought you might be here." Dollis said.  
  
"Yeah." Broderick sighed. "Did you know that I never said 'I love you' to her when I left that morning." Broderick allowed a tear to roll down his cheek. "I always says it, but that morning...God! Why didn't I say it."  
  
"I'm sorry...I don't know what to say."  
  
"Yeah." Broderick sighed. "She's been nagging me for years to get a desk job. I was a week shy from being promoted to assistant director of the organized crime unit - a desk job...She was convinced that I would die before she did, because of..."  
  
"Your job." Dollis filled in the blanks. "Yeah, that's why Lorraine and I divorce, she couldn't handle being a wife to a police officer. I can't really blame her..."  
  
"She didn't pester you to get a desk job?"  
  
"She did." Dollis sighed. "But I was too stubborn to let life on the beat slip away. Ironic isn't? Ever since Lorraine died, getting a desk job is all I could think about." Dollis sighed.  
  
"You have to take care of your boy...Ben was it?"  
  
"Yeah." Dollis sighed. "Sometimes I wish that I was there in Central Park instead..."  
  
"I have the same feeling too." Broderick sighed. "Some times I wish I was there with them."  
  
"Is that why you joined M.I.S.T. and threw your promotion away?"  
  
"Yeah." Broderick sighed. "I needed to do something..."  
  
"I know." Dollis sighed. "I wanted to join M.I.S.T. too, but..."  
  
"Ben?"  
  
"No...I realized that no matter how many Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures I killed it won't bring Lorraine back."  
  
"Are you trivializing my life?"  
  
"No...we must deal with grief in our own way." Dollis sighed. "I just want to know why you're doing this, because if it's out of guilt, anger, or revenge it's no way to live."  
  
"It's not." Broderick protested. "I'm doing this because I don't want the same thing to happen to someone else."  
  
"Is that why you kept shooting at the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature after it was long dead in the hospital earlier?" Dollis asked. Broderick remained silent. "Was that out of guilt, anger, or revenge?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Broderick finally sighed.  
  
"Come let's rescue my precinct from your partner." Dollis smiled.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"Have some dinner at my place and sleep on your answer." Dollis suggested.  
  
"Thanks. I think I'll take you up on it." Broderick said leaving.  
  
"Wait." Dollis said behind him. He pulled out a long stem red rose and walked a couple paces down to where his ex-wife's name was carved. He touched the name on the black, obsidian marble and placed the rose before her name. "Now I'm ready." Dollis smiled.  
  
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct  
New York, New York  
15:00 EST  
  
Aya stood in front of the humble police station and looked at the modest features. After spending six years in a fancy and high tech building that the Bureau keeps coming back to her old stomping grounds made her wonder how she could survive without the latest technologies.  
  
"Com'on Aya, let's go in." Kyle whined.  
  
"In a minute." Aya sighed, still looking at the building. She was fixated at the building. She remembered thinking six years ago that this building was huge. Now it seemed somewhat small.  
  
"Aya?" A familiar voice broke her gaze.  
  
She turned to meet the person who called her. "Wayne? Is that you?" Wayne Garcia was the responsible for the weapons storage six years ago.  
  
"In the flesh." He smiled giving her a hug. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"There are Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures running around New York City and you ask..."  
  
"Okay, okay, dumb question." Garcia raised his hands in defense. "Who's the jealous looking guy?"  
  
Aya turned to where Garcia was looking. "Oh, that's Kyle, my boyfriend."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Garcia smiled. "I'm Detective Wayne Garcia."  
  
"Kyle Madigan." He introduced shaking his hand. "I assumed you worked with Aya six years ago?"  
  
"That's right." Garcia smiled. "Com'on Bo would be so happy to see you."  
  
"He's not in and I'm not here for pleasure." Aya reported. "I'm here to make this place head of oppressions for the F.B.I. while the threat of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are here."  
  
"Well come on in." Garcia smiled. "I'm sure that no one inside would object to your proposal." Garcia led Aya and Kyle up the steps of the station. "Hey that's an interesting looking gun." Kyle smiled.  
  
"Don't you start." Aya smiled.  
  
Wayne Garcia was right; those that knew Aya six years ago accepted her authority and those that didn't heard her name through reputation. It was a smooth transition. Aya, Kyle, and Wayne worked for three long hours.  
  
"Hey partner, how's it coming?" Broderick announced waltzing in with Dollis.  
  
"Good timing." Aya smiled. "I'm just about finished."  
  
"I have a surprise for you." Dollis hinted.  
  
"A surprise? Really?" Aya smiled with a hint of excitement. "What is it?"  
  
"Come on in." Dollis bellowed into the hallway.  
  
A tall, black pre-adolescent, man walked through. "Hi Aya." He smiled.  
  
He looked familiar. "Ben?...Is that you?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah." He smiled back.  
  
"My how you've grown. You must have shot up about two feet since I last saw you." Aya smiled. "Come on, give me a hug." Ben walked towards her and gave her a bear hug. "My you look so handsome...you probably broken many girl's heart." Aya teased.  
  
"Not really." Ben replied, blushing at the statement.  
  
"How old are you? Twelve? Thirteen?"  
  
"Thirteen." Ben smiled.  
  
"So are you done?" Dollis asked interrupted Aya's memories of the boy.  
  
"Yeah, just about. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I was thinking that all of you would join us for dinner."  
  
"We couldn't impose." Aya smiled.  
  
"Aya. I'm not letting you eat or sleep in some hotel." Dollis protested. "You deserve some home cooking."  
  
Aya recognized that same stubborn look and knew that she couldn't do anything to change his mind. "All right." Aya smiled. She picked up her jean jacket and left the captain's office. "Oh, by the way, what are we having for dinner?"  
  
"I don't know...I think of ordering a pizza." Dollis sighed.  
  
"That's home cooking?" Aya asked.  
  
"It is in the Dollis' house." Ben smiled.  
The Plaza  
New York, New York  
18:00 EST  
  
"Wow, this is so beautiful." Eve said with wide eyes looking out the balcony of her hotel room. Eve wanted a room on the highest floor so she could see more of the city.  
  
"It is called Central Park." Carradine said smiling at Eve. 'It was good to see her happy.' He thought.  
  
"Not just that." Eve smiled. "The whole city...it's breathtaking." Never in Eve's life had she seen so many people in one place, she had read how big and busy New York City was, but she didn't think that she would ever see it in person.  
  
"She must be deranged if she loves New York City." Jodie sighed.  
  
"Lay off her Bouquet." Carradine defended.  
  
"That's okay, Pierce." Eve sighed. "Jodie was joking." Eve was one of the few people that Jodie knew that understood her dry sense of humour. "Hey, where's Aya?" Eve was so excited that she forgot that Aya was in the very same city she was in.  
  
"She's at work." Bouquet replied.  
  
"Yeah, don't worry." Carradine smiled. "You'll see her tomorrow."  
  
"I can't wait to see her again." Eve smiled. "I'm too excited. I don't think I could sleep tonight." Eve said with excitement. Carradine noticed that she full of adrenaline. Something that he hasn't seen in Eve in a long time.  
  
Carradine and Bouquet looked at each other solemnly. They knew what was going to happen in the morning. They knew that Eve's reunion would be short lived. It was a damming cold silence and Carradine didn't like it. "I'm cold, let's go in." Carradine suggest.  
  
"Actually...I think it might be wise if we wait." Jodie stopped his flight. "Hal is talking to Louis in there and I think he wants to be alone with him."  
  
"Yeah?" Eve asked with interested. "I wonder what they're talking about."  
  
"You and I both." Bouquet sighed looking in.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Are you sure that you could handle things at this end?" Freeh asked packing.  
  
"Yeah." Baldwin sighed. "I don't think Hunter would like it, but she would come to embrace this plan." Baldwin stalled.  
  
"Good." Freeh sighed. "I have to go back to D.C. to speak to the President by twenty-three hundred hours."  
  
"Louis before you go." Baldwin sighed. "Back at the National Center of Mitochondrion Control and Studies..."  
  
"Yes?" Freeh asked.  
  
"Why is there some places in the center that I don't have access to?"  
  
"That's confidential."  
  
"Louis. I'm the director of Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team. I should know everything that happens under my jurisdiction!" Baldwin demanded. "What IS going on?"  
  
"I can't tell you." Freeh said. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Louis you and I have been friends a long time." Baldwin sighed. "Please tell me what's going on...off the record."  
  
"I can't." Freeh sighed. "I'm sorry Hal. Look I really have to go."  
  
"Yeah." Baldwin sighed. "At least let me drive you to the airport. Our time together is short and I don't know when we'll see each other again."  
  
"I like that." Freeh smiled.  
  
Dollis' Residence  
New York, New York  
23:00 EST  
  
Aya felt cold on the metallic, operation table. The bright white light above her blinded her. "What are you doing to me? What's going on?" She said to the silhouette.  
  
"Anesthetize her." The voice echoed.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"No." She weakly protested. White.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya lay in her hospital bed feeling rather nervous. White light encompassed the whole room and her heart beat echoed in the background. "Aya, How are you feeling?" A tall dark man entered.  
  
"Fine." Aya smiled. "I'll feel better if my boyfriend could be here for this." Aya sighed with frustration. "I wish I could tell him about my situation."  
  
"I understand, but this is a highly sensitive area and your condition must be kept top secret." Her doctor replied.  
  
"I know doctor." Aya sighed. "It just doesn't make it any easier."  
  
"I'm sorry." The doctor sighed. "It has to be this way."  
  
"I know." Aya sighed.  
  
"Do you want to know the sex of the child?" Again white.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya stood before a door and opened it walking through the threshold to see a black man sitting behind a desk. "Happy New Year, Doctor." Aya smiled.  
  
"Happy New Year Aya." He smiled back. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine." Aya protested.  
  
"Well according to your superior..." He said looking over his file. "Assistant Director Baldwin reports that you have been feeling ill?"  
  
"It's just that I'm feeling faint and nauseous."  
  
"In the morning?" He said with concern.  
  
"Yeah." Aya recollected softly. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just a theory, but you may be pregnant."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya found herself in a comfortable hospital bed. She felt pain from an operation. A white man entered her room with a chart.  
  
"How are you feeling Aya?"  
  
"Who are you? Where's my doctor?"  
  
"He's...ill." He said.  
  
Aya had a feeling that he was lying. "I'm still in pain. What happened?"  
  
"Do you remember anything?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You had an accident, your child was in danger, we had to perform an emergency Caesarian Section..."  
  
"My child." Aya gasped.  
  
"She didn't make it." The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry. There's more."  
  
"What?" Aya said with tears.  
  
"I'm afraid that you can't have children again."  
  
"What?" This time she said with shock.  
  
"There were complications in the surgery and we were forced to do a hysterectomy." The doctor replied. Then there was white.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya was back on the metallic table again. This time she was semi-conscious and all she saw was flesh red, caused by the bright light above her through closed eyelids.  
  
"I can't do this!"  
  
"You have your orders."  
  
"It's unethical. I won't do this."  
  
"Then I hate to do this. By order of the President you are under arrest and relive of duty! Do it!"  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"Now let's proceed with the operation."  
  
"You mean experiment."  
  
"Doctor I could relieve you as well!"  
  
"No." The young doctor sighed. "Let's proceed."  
  
"Doctor, she's still conscious."  
  
"Resilient isn't she?" Aya could hear him smile. "Anesthetize her."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aya shoot up in her bed. Her heart was beating hard. "What's wrong?" Kyle asked, still half asleep.  
  
"I'm fine Kyle." She panted. "Just go back to sleep."  
  
'What IS going on?' Aya thought. 'These weren't dreams...they felt more real...the smells...the sounds.' Aya got out of bed and headed for the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a cold slice of pizza. She took a bite and contemplated what was going on.  
  
"Hey Aya." Kyle's voice came tiredly behind her. "Phone. It's your boss."  
  
'Hal? Why is he calling so late?' Aya thought to herself. "Thanks Kyle." She grabbed the mobile phone. "Brea. What is it Hal?"  
  
"It is imperative that you and Agent Broderick come to the Plaza Hotel in New York City at zero eight hundred hours tomorrow morning." Baldwin ordered.  
  
"Why?" Aya asked with confusion.  
  
"I didn't want to do this over the phone, but...you've been reassigned."  
  
"What?" Aya said in shock.  
  
"Just come...YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS!" Baldwin hung up the phone.  
  
Aya suddenly felt weak. She had another flashback of her dreams. "You okay?" Kyle asked.  
  
"Yeah...fine. Just a headache." Aya lied.  
  
"I'll get some aspirin."  
  
"Thanks." Aya sighed. 'Why am I having these flashbacks...first it was the hospital and now when Baldwin said...' Aya gasped. She know the meaning behind her dreams, they were her memories.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	4. Sorority’s Supervision.

MITOCHONDRION EPIDEMIC  
By: Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Dang! This thing is long. It's a little longer than I would have liked, but I didn't expect the battle scenes to take up that much space. I made an executive decision to change the text to drama from action\adventure. It appears that I write dialogue better than action scenes and thus made the appropriate changes. In any case, I hope this latest installment of the series is a good one, and that you like it. Please read and review.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: SORORITY'S SUPERVISION.  
  
Dollis' Residence  
New York, New York  
July 15, 2003 06:00 EST  
  
Aya watched the serpent-like steam from her coffee swing and slither it's way into the air as she contemplated. The translucent vapor danced slowly and gently on the surface of the dark nectar, then slowly rose to its apex and then, disappearing into nothingness. Aya wished that her problems would do that.  
  
This was her second, perhaps third cup of coffee since she received the news from Eric Baldwin of her reassignment. 'Why would Hal take me off this mission?' She wondered taking a sip of her coffee. 'It doesn't make sense.' She placed the coffee down and continued to watch the steam rise.  
  
Her mind has been in a state of flux ever since she heard the news. It had consumed her to the brink of insanity and robbed her of what little sleep she normally gets. Periodically, her mind would shift from the ominous news given by Baldwin to her recent revelation of her newfound memories.  
  
Aya looked at her liquid reflection and contemplated who she was and what she may be because of this newfound discovery. The black coffee made a perfect mirror as she gazed upon her counterfeit intently. Aya read somewhere that Nostradamus, the French seer, would predict the future by sitting by a bowl of water and allow his mind to flow freely. She was not attempting to do that, but it did helped her to think. 'Who am I?' She sighed, picking up the mug of coffee and taking another sip.  
  
'How can I have two different, unique sets of memories?' She thought with frustration. 'They could be dreams.' She rationalized. 'No! They HAVE to be real. The sounds, the smells...it felt real.' Aya counter-argued with gusto. 'But how can I forget losing a child, my child?' Aya closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She tried to picture her child. It was fruitless; her new memories are incongruent and jumbled. "Ahh...What is going on?" She said with frustration.  
  
"Aya?" Dollis slithered into the kitchen. "Are you all right?"  
  
Aya shot an icy glance at her former partner. "No." Aya sighed. She quickly debated which bad news she was ready to reveal. "Last night my boss called me...I've been reassigned."  
  
"What?" Dollis gasped, sitting down. "But you are the key to the elimination of..."  
  
"I know." Aya sighed. "It doesn't make sense."  
  
"Have you been up all night?"  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed.  
  
"Why don't you get some sleep." Dollis suggested. "Rupert and I could man headquarters for a couple of hours."  
  
"Thanks for the offer Bo, but Rupert and I have a meeting at the Plaza Hotel at eight. I think it's my new orders for my reassignment." Aya sighed. "That reminds me. Is Rupert up? I haven't told him about the meeting yet."  
  
"Yeah. I think I heard his alarm went off about fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"Thanks." Aya smiled. She took her mug of coffee and finished it. She reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a card. "Here's my cellular number if you need to contact me." Aya sighed.  
  
"I hope this is all a misunderstanding." Dollis wished.  
  
"From your lips..." Aya sighed.  
  
The Plaza  
New York, New York  
08:00 EST  
  
The Plaza staff was enthusiastic, albeit reluctant to help the Federal Bureau of Investigations with their simple demands. Assistant Director Eric Baldwin was not surprise by the staff's anxiousness of their presence; it was a common reaction, but he was surprised of how unwilling they were to accompany them. He requested only to have a boardroom where they could have a classified meeting for about an hour and it took almost all morning to get it.  
  
Eric sat at the head of the table, to his right sat a man of European persuasion with blond hair and crystal blue eyes. He had a strong, chiseled face and was fairly well built. An empty chair was present to the right of Eric Baldwin. A row down sat Special Agents Pierce Carradine and Jodie Bouquet opposite of each other.  
  
"So Inspector how was your flight?" Carradine asked nonchalantly, breaking the insufferable silence.  
  
"Smooth and uneventful." The stranger replied in the same tone. He looked at his watched and sighed. "So Director where is THIS Hunter of yours?" The man asked coldly.  
  
"Hunter would be here soon, Inspector." Baldwin replied quietly.  
  
"I thought the French were patient?" Bouquet asked rudely. She was frustrated; it was the third time he had asked that question.  
  
"Usually Agent Bouquet, but when there's an epidemic of biblical proportions happening around the world our patience goes out the window." The stranger replied with bitterness.  
  
At that the door to the boardroom opened. "Sorry, we're late. Traffic was horrible." Aya quickly explained taking the seat beside Carradine while Broderick took the seat beside Bouquet.  
  
Baldwin shuffled the loose paper before him and took a deep sigh to recollect his thoughts. "I apologize for calling this meeting at short notice, but it was inevitable." Baldwin sighed. "To my left is Inspector Rene Tibeaudeaux from I.C.P.O."  
  
"Interpol?" Broderick gasped. "What are they doing here."  
  
"We're here to recruit you Hunter." Tibeaudeaux smiled.  
  
"Actually, I'M Hunter." Aya corrected. "What is this about Hal? And why am I being recruited into Interpol?" Aya asked, not allowing the Inspector to apologize.  
  
"Against my wishes, I am order by the United Nations and with the blessings of the President of the United States to hand you over to Interpol to help with the eradication of Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures around the world."  
  
"In short, you're being conscripted." Tibeaudeaux replied.  
  
Aya was flabbergasted. "I'm flattered and I understand the magnitude of the epidemic with the world and I don't want to sound petty, but what about New York." Aya pointed out. "It makes sense for me to finish the job that I started before continuing on."  
  
"I agree with you Hunter, and we thank you for the relief effort in New York, but you won't be finishing the job." Baldwin sighed. "Nimrod will." He said turning to Bouquet. "Agent Bouquet would you escort Nimrod in." Baldwin asked. Jodie Bouquet silently rose and headed out the door.  
  
"Are you mad?" Aya whispered. "She's five years shy from the completion of her program. She's too young and inexperienced."  
  
"Hunter!" Baldwin said sternly. "Yours was not the first voice that raised this concern. I made it to the Director of the Bureau and he made it to the President." Baldwin said regaining his demeanor. "Our hands are tied and the epidemic around the world is greater then ours." Baldwin sighed.  
  
At that Jodie Bouquet entered with Eve. Aya wanted to run up to her sister and give her a hug, but she quickly remembered the nature of the meeting. Eve wanted to do the same, but Agent Bouquet told her prior to entering not to.  
  
Eve took the available seat beside Assistant Director Baldwin. She felt out of place in a room full of adults - even if she knew most of them. 'Don't be nervous.' She thought to herself.  
  
"Agent Broderick, this is your new partner Nimrod." Baldwin introduced.  
  
"Nice to see you again." Broderick smiled.  
  
"Likewise." Eve smiled nervously. Eve had to force herself not to say 'Uncle Rupert' when greeting Broderick.  
  
"Hunter, what say you?"  
  
'Like I have a choice.' Aya sighed to herself. Aya looked at her sister. 'She looked like me when I was thirteen.' She thought. 'Is she ready?' The question loomed in her head for what seem like an eternity. She turned and looked at her new partner. She knew that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It was just numbers, so cold, but she knew what she had to do. "When do we leave?" Aya asked above a whisper.  
  
"Leave?" Eve gasped. "Where are you going?" Aya could hear her baby sister's heart break.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed nervously. "I'm been recruited by Interpol, you will finish what I started here in the United States." Aya sighed. "So Inspector Tibeaudeaux when do we leave?"  
  
"Our plane to France leaves at noon." Tibeaudeaux replied in the same tone.  
  
"I'll be..." Aya's thoughts were interrupted by her cellular phone ringing. "Excuse me." Aya blushed at her embarrassment. "Hunter here." She answered the phone.  
  
"Aya?" Dollis asked with some confusion. He wasn't familiar with her codename.  
  
"This is she." Aya answered. "What's wrong Captain Dollis?"  
  
"I understand." Dollis realized that Aya was still in her meeting. "We have a development." Dollis reported. "Dr. Smith is back at his office."  
  
"When?"  
  
"We're not sure, but he's here now." Dollis pointed out.  
  
"I'll be there soon. With reinforcements." Aya said enforcing the last part of the sentence to Baldwin.  
  
"What's wrong?" Baldwin asked.  
  
"We have Smith." Aya reported. "We have to go."  
  
"Hunter!" Tibeaudeaux interjected. "Need I remind you that you're no longer with the Bureau."  
  
"Inspector Tibeaudeaux..."  
  
"Please call me Rene."  
  
"Rene." Aya said with reluctance. "Our plane doesn't leave until noon, until then I'm doing my job to the bitter end." Aya sighed. "So Inspec...Rene you can either help us or wait for me at the airport." Aya demanded.  
  
"Eh bien!" Tibeaudeaux sighed. "Let's go."  
  
Dr. Robert Smith's Office, New York University  
New York, New York  
09:30 EST  
  
Captain Daniel Dollis paced the length of the police blockade. He was worried about Aya in tandem with the chaotic events happening around him. He was surprised to find out that he still had paternal feelings towards Aya. Even if she was thirty years old and no longer a rookie cop, he still feels protective for his former partner.  
  
Kyle Madigan joined the captain in his pacing. They were worried over Aya. 'Why didn't she tell me?' Madigan thought. 'Maybe she didn't want to worry me.' He tried to justify. 'Still a relationship is built on openness, honesty, and trust...' In three years of their relationship this was the first time he ever question the stability of it.  
  
Two cars approached the blockade and stopped. Dollis and Madigan looked up and watched patiently for the occupants to get out. Broderick and the Brea sisters got out of the first car, while Baldwin, Tibeaudeaux, Carradine, and Bouquet exited the second car. Madigan was surprised to see Eve. 'What she doing here?' He thought.  
  
The party of seven walked towards Dollis and Madigan. Dollis was surprise to see so many reinforcements, he had never seen so many suits at one time in his life. Aya picked up the pace and pass Baldwin to make the introductions.  
  
"Always good to see you, Hunter." Dollis smiled, making sure he used her codename.  
  
"Likewise." She returned.  
  
"Quite the crowd you brought." Dollis teased.  
  
"Indeed." Aya sighed. "Captain Dollis may I introduce Assistant Director Baldwin, Inspector Tibeaudeaux from Interpol, Special Agents Bouquet, Carradine, Nimrod, and you know Broderick." Aya introduced, taking a deep breath. "Gang, this Captain Dollis and...Private Investigator Madigan." Aya finished the introductions.  
  
There was a short moment of salutations and introduction, but that was quickly squashed by the matter at hand. "Captain what's our situation." Baldwin asked taking over the operation.  
  
"We didn't see Dr. Smith entered the building in any of the four entrances, but infrared sensors indicated that he is in the building." Dollis reported walking towards a monitor. Baldwin and the rest followed him. "We believed that this is him in the office."  
  
"What are these?" Baldwin asked pointing to several smaller red spots on the monitor.  
  
"We believe that they are Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures." Dollis replied.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Baldwin asked. He sounded a little defensive.  
  
"Dr. Smith was experimenting on monkeys for his dissertation. We believed that their mitochondria may have been awaken by the presence of Dr. Smith." Dollis theorized.  
  
"It is a good theory." Baldwin sighed.  
  
"So this is your baby, what do you suggest to do?" Dollis asked.  
  
Baldwin took a deep sigh and turn around to face the crowd expecting his orders. "All right people." Baldwin sighed. "We need four teams of two." Baldwin sighed. "Alpha Team will consist of Hunter and Tibeaudeaux, Beta Team...Broderick and Nimrod..."  
  
"Hal could we have a moment?" Aya interrupted.  
  
"What is it Hunter?"  
  
"In private?" Aya stressed.  
  
Baldwin sighed and quickly walked twenty paces away from the crowd. "Look Aya, I understand your apprehension of sending Eve into battle, but..."  
  
"That's not it." Aya interrupted. "At least not all of it." Aya sighed. "I like to be partner up with my sister." Aya asked.  
  
Baldwin sighed and thought about her request. "I think it's better that Eve gets to know her new partner and you yours." Baldwin finally answered.  
  
"Hal." Aya said affectionately. "I ask you to reconsider." Aya sighed collecting her thoughts. "It's just that I'm worried about my sister and I have to know that she is ready to do this before I leave for France. So I won't worry about her while I'm aboard." Aya pleaded once more.  
  
Baldwin looked at her and sighed. "All right." He caved. "We better get back." Baldwin hinted.  
  
"Thank you Hal." Aya smiled.  
  
Brea and Baldwin walked back to where everyone was. Baldwin took another deep breath and cleared his throat. "There would be four teams of two to infiltrate Dr. Smith's office. Alpha Team will consist of Hunter and Nimrod, Beta Team...Broderick and Tibeaudeaux...Gamma Team...Carradine and Bouquet and Delta Team..." Baldwin paused for thought. He swore to himself because he hated sending civilians in, but he was out of choices. "Team Delta will consist of Dollis and Madigan."  
  
Baldwin paused and waited to see if there were any objections, there weren't any. "Alpha Team will take the front entrance, Beta the back, Gamma the West and Delta the East." Baldwin took a breath. "Your mission is to eliminate all Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures you may encounter and do whatever is necessary to..." Baldwin paused searching for the right word. "...terminate the threat." Baldwin sighed; he hated to give orders to kill. "Questions!" Baldwin waited a few seconds and surveyed the crowd. "All right, you have your orders. Dismissed."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The Brea sisters stood a few meters before the front entrance. Aya looked at her sister and saw that she was nervous. "Are you okay?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah." Eve sighed, biting her lower lip. "Just a little bit nervous and scared."  
  
Her statement surprised Aya not once, but twice. Her sister's honesty and their shared idiosyncrasy of biting their lower lip when they were nervous were both surprises of similarity and difference to Aya. "That's natural." Aya sighed. "I still get it even today."  
  
"Really?" Eve sounded surprised. "I didn't think you got scared."  
  
"Only a fool doesn't get scared." Aya pointed out, putting the armour that M.I.S.T. customary created just for her. She didn't care for the colour - red, but it was functional and served its purpose. It had seven attachments and very protective.  
  
Aya loaded her trusty M93R standard issue gun with 9mm Spartan bullets, making sure that some ammunition was in one of her attachments. As a secondary weapon she picked a Mongoose Magnum loaded with .44 Maeda bullets. Aya planed to use these bullets on the mitochondria enhanced Dr. Smith. Theses bullets were special it contained anti-mitochondria poison which damages mitochondrion creatures very well.  
  
"Aya...Why did you convince Hal to have me on your team?" Eve hesitantly asked, putting the same armour as Aya on, albeit smaller. Aya made sure that Eve had the same armour, attachments, and secondary weapons as hers.  
  
"Why would you say that?"  
  
"Okay maintain your innocent routine." Eve replied unbelievingly. "But you and I know that you requested that we be together, now why is that?"  
  
Aya sighed. "I just..."  
  
"Alpha Team, are you receiving?" Baldwin came through their intercom.   
  
'Save by the bell.' Aya thought. "Alpha team receiving, command do you read?"  
  
"Coming loud and clear." Baldwin came through their intercoms.  
  
"Ready?" Aya asked. Eve nodded in return.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
There was a discomforting air of silence hanging between the F.B.I. agent and the Interpol Inspector. Broderick generally was amicable and congenial with everyone, but with Inspector Tibeaudeaux pressed him the wrong way. 'Maybe it's his arrogance.' Broderick thought. 'No...I shouldn't judge him before I know him.' He thought loading his Mongoose gun with .44 Magnum bullets.  
  
"Agent Broderick may I ask you a question?" Tibeaudeaux inquired loading his MP5A5 submachine gun with 9mm bullets.  
  
"You just did." Broderick answered coldly. "What's your question?"  
  
"What's so special about Hunter and Nimrod?" The Interpol Inspector loaded his firearm. "I mean what's the big fuss about those two?" Tibeaudeaux asked. "I don't see anything special about them.  
  
"That's on a need to know business, and quite frankly Inspector Tibeaudeaux, you don't need to know." Broderick explained bitterly.  
  
"That's rather insubordinate." Tibeaudeaux said nonchalantly.  
  
"Insubordination would indicate that you have jurisdiction here and you don't." Tibeaudeaux laughed at his statement. 'God even his laughter sounds arrogant.' Broderick thought to himself.  
  
"Interpol is the World Intelligence we have jurisdiction everywhere."  
  
"Inspector Tibeaudeaux, I believe you're trying to hoodwink me." Broderick smiled. "Every F.B.I. agent knows that Interpol's jurisdiction is not absolute."  
  
"Beta Team, are you receiving?" Baldwin asked coming through their intercom.   
  
"Beta team receiving, command do you read?"  
  
"Coming loud and clear." Baldwin came through their intercoms.  
  
"Ready, Inspector?" Broderick asked.  
  
"I was born ready." Tibeaudeaux gloated.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Agent Carradine sat in the shade of the building polishing his gunblade. Moments earlier Agent Bouquet watch him slowly, but ceremoniously putting R. Slug bullets into his favourite weapon.  
  
Agent Bouquet was not known for her patience and was easily frustrated. She looked at her M4A1 tactical assault rifle with all the attachments on her armour, ready to go. She has been ready, to what seemed to her for eons. "You know the first Neo-Mitochondrion Creature you kill will stain your precious gunblade."  
  
"That's not the point." Carradine answered calmly.  
  
"Then what is the point?" Bouquet asked. She was irritated by his tranquility.  
  
"If I have to tell you, then you wouldn't understand." He replied.  
  
"Try me." She tempted.  
  
Bouquet could see his royal blue eyes peering over his sunglasses. She could feel them probing her, judging her. "Doing this centers me." Carradine saw confusion in his partner's eyes. "It calms me down." He sighed, pushing back his sunglasses and quickly returned to his polishing.  
  
Bouquet, who considers herself an expert in firearms, scoffed at her partner. "I don't understand you Carradine. A firearm is so much more effective then your gunblade."  
  
"If you say so." Carradine said nonchalantly.  
  
"I know so." Bouquet said cockily. "A gun has a better range and holds more bullets and is respectively safer than that gunblade of yours."  
  
"Sure." He replied lackadaisically.  
  
"You're not even listening to me are you?"  
  
"Not a word." Carradine smiled.  
  
"Gamma Team, are you receiving?" Baldwin asked for confirmation.   
  
"Gamma Team receiving, command do you read?" Bouquet replied with anger.  
  
"Coming loud and clear." Baldwin came through their intercoms.  
  
"Hey Carradine!" Bouquet raised her voice. "Done polishing your silverware?"  
  
"Yeah, like ten minutes ago." Carradine sighed.  
  
"Hey, that's when we started this conversation." Bouquet protested.  
  
"I know." Carradine smiled. He so enjoyed watching Bouquet feeling frustrated, especially towards him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Madigan blew the gunpowder out of his silencer and looked through it. 'It's clear.' He thought to himself. He slowly screwed the silencer back on his P229 Semi-automatic 9mm gun. "Hey Dollis." Madigan broke the silence. "Are you married."  
  
"Once upon a time." Dollis replied equivocally. "We were divorced some time ago." Dollis sighed loading his gun.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Dollis gave a sharp look at the youth. "She loved me, not my job." Dollis simplified a very complicated story. "She died six years ago..." His voice trailed off.  
  
"I'm sorry." Madigan said above a whisper.  
  
"Don't be." Dollis sighed. "It's not your fault, but let's talk about what's really on your mind."  
  
"Oh, what is that?" Madigan asked innocently.  
  
"Aya." Dollis simply answered.  
  
"Why would I want to talk about Aya?"  
  
"Madigan, don't play the innocent routine with me." Dollis sighed. "You don't do it very well." Dollis smirked.  
  
"Delta Team, are you receiving?" Baldwin interrupted their discussion.  
  
"We're not done with this yet." Dollis pointed out. He activated his microphone and took a deep sigh. "Delta team receiving, command do you read?"  
  
"Coming loud and clear." Baldwin came through their intercoms.  
  
"Ready lover boy?" Dollis mocked. Madigan loaded his P229 as his answer. "All right let's go."  
  
The east entrance was a small, insignificant portal. The New York Captain and the Private Detective approached it inconsequentially and crossed the threshold. "We're in." Dollis reported.  
  
They cautiously tread across the vinyl flooring of the hallway. Their footsteps echoed through the prejudice halls. "You're right, I DID wanted to talk about Aya." Madigan's said breaking the silence.  
  
"You didn't have to tell me that." Dollis sighed looking down a corridor.  
  
"How long have you known Aya?" Madigan asked.  
  
"A little over six years, why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason." Madigan sighed. "It's just that..."  
  
"You two had a fight?" Dollis hinted.  
  
"No." Madigan quickly answered. "It's just that...In your relationship with her has she ever kept anything secret from you?"  
  
"I've only known Aya for a year before she joined the Bureau. After that we stayed in touch with the odd phone call and letter, but I have a feeling that you know her more intimately than I do." Dollis explained.  
  
"I doubt that." Madigan sighed.  
  
"How long have you two been together?"  
  
"A little over three years." Madigan sighed. "But I'm thinking of ending it."  
  
"What?" Dollis gasped.  
  
"Central to Delta Team." Baldwin interrupted their conversation. "We're detecting two Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures in your vicinity."  
  
"We read you Central." Dollis reported.  
  
The duo stopped in their tracks and waited for the inevitable. Their hearts pounded in the expectation of what they may encounter. 'Where are they?' Dollis thought to himself. He could have asked Baldwin, but he thought speaking would attract them to their positions.  
  
Two Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Monkeys screamed towards them. The anthropoid apes darted on their hind legs towards the intruders.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The front entrance was a grand and illustrious courtyard. The Brea sisters quickly crossed the enclosure and reached the welcoming front door. Aya looked at her little sister and sighed. 'I hope we're doing the right thing.' She thought. She looked through the glass door and into the rotunda. 'It's clear.' She thought. Aya looked at her sister one more time and contemplated whether to turn back or not.  
  
"I'm ready." Eve assured her older counterpart.  
  
Aya smiled and nodded. She opened the door and crossed the threshold. "We're in." Aya reported.  
  
"Be careful." Baldwin stated the obvious.  
  
They cautiously and conscientiously crossed the marble floor of the rotunda. The rotunda was vast and had two balconies, which made it difficult for the two to survey. Aya and Eve had to simultaneously look at the balconies and before them for Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures.  
  
"Aya?" Eve asked above a whisper.  
  
"Yes, what is it." Aya whispered back.  
  
"You didn't answer my question."  
  
"What question?" Aya prevaricated, inching her way to their destination.  
  
"Oh, I think you know."  
  
Aya stopped in her tracks and sighed. "Eve, I'm worried about you. You're thirteen..."  
  
"...who is almost a college graduate and a F.B.I. Agent." Eve pointed out. "I can take care of myself." She protested.  
  
"Look Eve I know that at thirteen you think you know everything in the world, but the truth of the matter is: you have no idea how rough life really is - especially when dealing with Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures." Aya rebuked a little more harshly than she wanted. "It'll just make me feel better for leaving if I know you'll be okay." Aya sighed affectionately.  
  
"Aya, I can take care of myself." Eve reassured. "I'm a black belt in three different types of martial arts; mastered levels one to three in the M.I.S.T. shooting gallery; and average a score of 56,500 on level four."  
  
"What about level five?" Aya asked.  
  
"There's a level five?" Eve's face turned white.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. "Level five is where..." Aya was interrupted by her sixth sense - it went crazy. "Eve, do you feel that?"  
  
"Yeah." Eve gasped. "What is it?"  
  
"It's our innate mitochondria proximity detector." Aya explained. "When the mitochondria in our bodies were awaken our cells had the ability to ascertain renegade mitochondria activity nearby."  
  
"In other words, a Neo-Mitochondrion Creature is nearby." Eve reiterated her sister's explanation.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. They quickly looked around the rotunda. "Up there." Aya pointed towards the two balconies.  
  
Two Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Monkeys dashed across the balconies and jumped down landing gracefully on the rotunda's marble floor. The anthropoid ape fixated their human-like eyes on their enemies, which quickly luminescence red. With a primitive war cry scream they darted on their hind legs towards the invaders.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Broderick and Tibeaudeaux approached the small and intrusive back door. An uninviting portal that if one was not looking for it would miss it. It blended into the background easily.  
  
The F.B.I. agent and the Interpol inspector headed towards the back door, with the Interpol inspector leading the way. Tibeaudeaux clutched the iron metallic handle and forced the door open. "Après vous." The Interpol inspector smiled.  
  
Broderick scoffed to himself and crossed the threshold. "We're in, Command." The F.B.I. agent reported. The duo walked into a large, dusty room.  
  
"Where are we?" Tibeaudeaux asked.  
  
"Custodian Headquarters." Broderick explained as they cautiously paced their way towards the door leading to a labyrinth of halls.  
  
Tibeaudeaux gave a curious sigh. "It explains the filthiness of the room." The inspector said in his aristocratic voice.  
  
"I'm sorry we didn't have time to call the maid's service for your arrival." Broderick said with cold sarcasm.  
  
Tibeaudeaux chuckled silently to himself. "You don't like me do you?" He asked.  
  
"Is that a requirement?"  
  
"No." Tibeaudeaux sighed. "But it should be."  
  
'My God.' Broderick swore. 'Is he really that arrogant.' Sighingly he continued his way towards his destination. Broderick welcomed the silence, but he feared that it wouldn't last. His fears were justified.  
  
"So Broderick tell me something." Tibeaudeaux broke the silence. "Are Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures as dangerous the United Nations claims them to be."  
  
"I don't know." Broderick sighed. "What does the United Nations say?"  
  
"Unofficially, they say it's the greatest biological threat in history."  
  
"That's a general, if not apt, statement."  
  
"Hmm...I thought you would say that." Tibeaudeaux sighed. "The United Nations are such melodramatics."  
  
"I am not." Broderick protested.  
  
"No, but no one like their work being trivialized."  
  
"And how many Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures did you encounter?"  
  
"None." Tibeaudeaux replied.  
  
"Than how do you know..." Broderick was interrupted by Baldwin's announcement telling him that there was a Mitochondrion Creature nearby. "You might get a chance." Broderick replied. "There's one in the vicinity."  
  
"Where?" Tibeaudeaux asked. Broderick detected a hint of fright in his voice.  
  
Before Broderick could answer his question. A hominoid-like creature jumped from behind a tower of boxes and attacked Tibeaudeaux. He saw the disfigured face of the monkey on his chest. It's skin peeling and it's saliva dripping on his face.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The west entrance was a trivial, unpretentious entrance. The two F.B.I. agents approached it and inconsequentially crossed the threshold. "We're in." Carradine related.  
  
They cautiously tread across the vinyl flooring of the dark prejudice hallway. "Hal, the power is out." Bouquet reported.  
  
"There's a fuse box in a room about ten meters to your left." Baldwin came ringing through.  
  
"Thanks Hal." Bouquet responded. They deliberately walked carefully through the caliginous hallway. "Are you still wearing your sunglasses?" Bouquet asked. "It's dark here."  
  
"These are more than sunglasses." Carradine sighed. "They double as night vision goggles." He said pressing a small button on the brim of his glasses and the darkness turned into green, florescent light. He could see the walls and doors distinctively. "Follow me."  
  
Bouquet followed closely behind her partner. She was embarrassed, quiet, and angry. She was angry and embarrassed because she didn't come prepared and she hated the fact that Carradine did.  
  
Bouquet had always considered Carradine as a defiant, free spirited, nonchalant, lackadaisical, but surprisingly and only to Bouquet, frustratingly intelligent, efficient, and a proficient person.  
  
"We're here." Carradine announced. "The fuse box should be behind this door."  
  
"Great." Bouquet sighed reaching for the doorknob.  
  
A sound emanated from the room. "Wait." Carradine stopped her. "Let me check what's behind the door first."  
  
"What you're telling me that your sunglasses triples as an infrared detector." Bouquet suggested sarcastically.  
  
"Yes. How did you know?" Carradine smiled. He pressed another small button on the brim of his glasses. The green, florescent light room faded into darkness. Carradine allowed his eyes to focused for a couple of seconds. He saw two large, red spots indicating that there was something producing heat - and a lot of it at that. "There's something inside, two of them."  
  
"Are they Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures?" Bouquet asked. It was then that Baldwin came through confirming her suspicions. "Are you ready?" Bouquet asked the darkness.  
  
Carradine pressed the small button on his sunglasses and return it back to the night vision abilities. "Ready." Carradine reported. He allowed Bouquet to open the door as he saw two hominoids darted their way. 'Damn they're ugly.' He swore to himself. "Take the left one." Carradine quickly whispered. "It's directly in front of you."  
  
Bouquet could have guessed without Carradine telling her. The left Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature started shooting violet energy beams from its hands. She ran out of the way and saw the purple beams hitting the adjacent wall. She quickly looked down at her armour when the dark environment was lighted for a second by the energy beams. She fiddled for the correct attachment and connected it to her firearm.  
  
Carradine ran towards the transformed monkey to the right and slammed his gunblade on the hominoid neck triggering his weapon on impact. Carradine welcomed the taste of R. Slug shotgun powder in his mouth. When the dust settled he saw the genetically enhanced monkey still standing.  
  
He swore to himself as he saw the eyes of the creature turned solid, glowing. Two laser beams shot out from it. It threw Carradine slamming against the wall near the door. He dropped his gunblade in mid-flight.  
  
"Carradine get out!" Bouquet yelled into the dark. He looked at her and saw that she held her M4A1 tactical assault rifle with a Pyke attachment. He knew what she was thinking. Carradine rolled out into the corridor.  
  
"Do it now!" Carradine yelled with pain.  
  
Bouquet quickly stood up and saw the echelon of fire emanating from her weapon. With the blessing of the light she saw that the monkey on the right, the one Carradine attacked was limping. Bouquet aimed at it first killing it and quickly moved to the remaining one. 'I hope I have enough power to kill it.' She thought hearing the anthropoid ape scream in pain. She didn't.  
  
Bouquet quickly unfastened the Pyke attachment and threw it on the ground. "Where is it?" Bouquet asked with a hint of fear. It was dark again and she couldn't see anything.  
  
Carradine looked at the anthropoid through his night vision glasses. He saw that it was struggling getting up. He rushed towards Bouquet; she was still holding her M4A1 aimlessly in the dark. He quickly put his hand over her's and pressed her body against his. He quickly positioned her rifle at the anthropoid ape and pressed the trigger.  
  
He saw the mutated monkey dancing painfully as each bullet hit it. They quickly finished the round to no avail it was still standing. Carradine swore to himself. "What is it?" Bouquet asked.  
  
"It's still alive." Carradine said rushing towards the mitochondria enhanced primate. Carradine jumped into the air and extended his leg. He jump-kicked the mutated anthropoid in the head. He saw the anthropoid ape flew towards the wall. He heard its neck cracked as it impacted the wall. "All clear." Carradine announced.  
  
Carradine quickly walked towards his gunblade picking it up. With his night vision glasses he saw a box of fuses. He walked towards it and grabbed one and quickly changed the burnt out fuse in the box. The lights flickered on.  
  
"Finally." Bouquet exasperated. She saw Carradine putting two capsules of healing medicine in his mouth. "You okay?" Bouquet asked.  
  
"Fine." Carradine said putting the bottle away. He pressed a button on the frame of his shades to returning it to the default setting of shades. "You ready?"  
  
"Let's go." Bouquet said leading the way. They quickly, but cautiously headed to a stairway and dashed up the stairs. "Thank you." Bouquet said above a whisper.  
  
"For what?" Carradine confusingly asked, opening the door to the second floor.  
  
"For helping me back there."  
  
"Oh." Carradine sighed. "You don't have to thank me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It was a team effort." Carradine explained. "You helped me kill one and I helped you."  
  
"Yeah I guess." Bouquet sighed. "But it was my rifle that saved your behind." Bouquet said that on purpose to get a rise out of Carradine. She too enjoyed seeing him getting angry.  
  
Carradine stopped in his tracks with animosity. "You got to be kidding." He fumed. "If it wasn't for my gunblade and my martial arts training you would still be blind like a bat!" Carradine lost his temper, for only a moment.  
  
They bickered for a few minutes; each claiming that it was their philosophy in fighting that made their previous battle so victorious. The idea of teamwork was thrown out of the window. "All right!" Bouquet finally clamored. "We'll have a contest."  
  
"What sort of contest?"  
  
"Whoever kills the most Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures will be considered the better fighter." Bouquet replied.  
  
"Deal." Carradine stuck out his hand. Bouquet grabbed his hand and shook it.  
  
They continued across the second floor checking the empty rooms for Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures. Bouquet held onto her rifle, while Carradine grasped his gunblade ready, and very anxious to take the next kill.  
  
"Two Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are in the vicinity." Baldwin reported through their earphones.  
  
Bouquet and Carradine looked at each other, their eyes staring intently. They remained silent; the air of competition rang through the air. Two mutated anthropoid apes appeared before them. They both nod at each other and dashed towards them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You okay?" Madigan asked Dollis as he helped him up from the ground.  
  
"Yeah. I'm getting way too old for this." Dollis sighed.  
  
"Nonsense." Madigan smiled. "You'll miss this life in an instant."  
  
There was a moment of silence as they stood there for a few minutes. The silence and tension was irritating. Dollis wanted to continue their conversation, but he didn't know how to proceed. "We better get going." Dollis sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Madigan sighed.  
  
They walked silently and quietly through the corridors thinking. "So..." Dollis sighed breaking the silence. "Why do you want to break up with Aya?"  
  
"It's complicated." Madigan sighed taking the stairs to the next floor.  
  
"Isn't it always?" Dollis walked through the threshold.  
  
Madigan remained silent, thinking. "It's just that I don't feel close to her anymore." Madigan sighed.  
  
"Have you talked to her?" Dollis suggested.  
  
Madigan scoffed at the remark. "I tired, but she won't tell me what's bothering her."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She tells me that she's okay or it's confidential." Madigan sighed.  
  
"Well that goes along with her job." Dollis sighed. "I'm sure that Bureau has several confidential cases." Dollis pointed out.  
  
"It's not cases." Madigan sighed. "I understand that, my cases are classified too, it's just more than that..." Madigan sighed with frustration.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"For example last night, she had a bad dream and refuse to talk about it. She practically ordered me to go back to bed. Then she gets a call from Hal..."  
  
"Oh, that." Dollis sighed.  
  
"You know what that's about?"  
  
"She didn't tell you?" Dollis sounded surprised.  
  
"No." Madigan softly. "What is it?"  
  
"It's not my place too tell..."  
  
"Daniel!" Madigan raised his voice. "I have to know, do you know how it feels when the person you love more than life is in trouble and you can't do anything to help them!" Madigan ranted.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Dollis sighed, remembering how helpless he felt six years ago when he couldn't do anything to help his ex-wife, Lorraine.  
  
"Then please tell me what's going on." Madigan pleaded.  
  
"She's being transferred...reassigned." Dollis said above a whisper.  
  
"What?" Madigan gasped.  
  
"Baldwin to Delta Team." The Assistant Director's voice came ringing through.  
  
'What now?' Madigan cursed to himself. "Delta Team here." Madigan replied bitterly. "What are we looking at?"  
  
"Two Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures directly in front of you." Baldwin reported.  
  
"Thanks Central, Delta Team out." Dollis said, reloading his firearm. Madigan did the same as they saw two Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures coming their way.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You okay?" Aya asked helping her younger sibling off the floor.  
  
"Fine." Eve sighed. "Let me guess Level Five in the shooting gallery is where the targets attack back." Eve ascertained with a weak smile.  
  
"That's a good guess." Aya smiled.  
  
Eve looked at the two dead primates, their bodies still sizzling from the battle. Aya joined her baby sister. "Did I do that?" Eve whispered. She was in awe at her powers.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. "Almost got me singed in the process." Aya looked at her sister and saw fear in her eyes. "Is this the first time you saw death?" Aya asked holding her.  
  
"No." Eve sighed. "I've seen it before while I was at Neo Ark, but this...this was the first time I killed." Eve sighed wanting to weep. "Does it get any easier?"  
  
Aya was surprised at the question, she hadn't thought of it before. "This was justified." Aya reassured. "It was in self defense."  
  
"I know." Eve sighed. "It doesn't make it any easier." Eve wanted to cry. "They sounded so human when they died."  
  
"Com'on, let's go." Aya escorted her sister from the scene.  
  
They walked a few meters away from the battle. Eve was still shaking. "I guess you're right." Eve said, above a whisper.  
  
"About what?" Aya asked.  
  
"To worry about me." Eve sighed. "I'm not ready for this."  
  
"No, you're not." Aya sighed. Eve was shocked, she didn't expect to hear that. "You were suppose to stay at the center until you're eighteen." She comforted. "Then you're were to go through extensive psychological and additional Bureau training for another three years before you stepped out into the field."  
  
"Then take me back." Eve pleaded. "Please."  
  
"I wish we could." Aya sighed.  
  
"Why not?" Eve cried.  
  
"Because we're in dire circumstances." Aya sighed. "There's an epidemic around the world. I have no choice, but to help." Aya explained. "That's why I'm leaving today."  
  
"I know." Eve sighed. "But, why can't you finish your job here."  
  
"I would like too, but the longer I stay here, the more disastrous it is for the world. This has to be stopped in its infancy, before it gets worse." Aya sighed. "Like it or not, the lives of all New Yorkers rest in your hands and I know that sucks, but that's life and that's the way it is. There's no other way." Aya paused looking at her sister. "Eve, you have to do this! I know you can, but the question is can you?"  
  
"Yeah." Eve sighed above a whisper.  
  
"Good." Aya smiled. They walked arm in arm and headed for the staircase. "Now, here's some advice in your fighting technique." Aya sighed.  
  
"What's wrong with my technique?" Eve asked. "I killed both the Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures, didn't I?"  
  
"Yeah, but casting four Infernos is a little excessive." Aya pointed out. "Your Parasite Powers are to be used with responsibly and should be only used as a last resort or when needed. This is your first choice in a weapon." Aya said raising her firearm.  
  
"I understand." Eve smiled. "I'll remember that."  
  
"Secondly..." Aya was interrupted by the cells in her body telling her that there was a Neo-Mitochondrion Creature nearby. Aya looked at her sister. "You're ready?" She nodded. "This time we use these first." Aya pointed out.  
  
"Okay." Eve sighed. "There it is." Eve pointed as two mutated primates darted towards them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You okay Tibeaudeaux?" Broderick asked reloading his Mongoose Magnum with .44 bullets.  
  
"Yeah, just get this thing off me." Tibeaudeaux said. "It stinks." The deceased primate lulled over his body motionless.  
  
"Can't you get it off?" Broderick asked.  
  
"No. I can't move." Tibeaudeaux struggled. "I think I'm paralyzed."  
  
'How the mighty has fallen.' Broderick sighed to himself. He walked over to the Interpol Agent and moved the dead mutated anthropoid ape from his body. The primate attacked Tibeaudeaux while resting on his torso; concurrently Broderick discharged his firearm until it died.  
  
"Hurry up." Tibeaudeaux demanded. Broderick smiled to himself, he rather enjoyed hearing fear in his voice.  
  
"Just one moment." Broderick smiled. He got out a syringe and feed him a vial of Penicillin. "There that should do it."  
  
"How did I get paralyzed?" Tibeaudeaux asked still lying on the ground.  
  
"I suspect that its saliva has some sort of paralyzing agent." Broderick said gathering some of it in a small vial.  
  
"So that's what we're facing." Tibeaudeaux sighed getting up. "Perhaps I have underestimated these Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures."  
  
"It's just the tip of the iceberg." Broderick explained. "Here take two capsules and you should be as good as new." Broderick got up and walked towards the door leading into the rest of the building.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"We at M.I.S.T. call that a Class C Neo-Mitochondrion Creature." Broderick explained.  
  
"Class C?"  
  
"Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are grouped into four classes: A, B, C, and D. Class A being the toughest to defeat, while Class D the weakest." Broderick explained.  
  
"I see." Tibeaudeaux sighed.  
  
They meandered through the maze of halls until they reached a flight of steps. They quickly raced up the stairs in order that they could search the second floor. Unfortunately, a mitochondria enhanced monkey was blocking their way. Broderick swore to himself.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tibeaudeaux asked.  
  
"Nothing." He sighed. "It's just that we don't have much room to maneuver." Broderick sighed firing his magnum. Tibeaudeaux follow suit with his 9mm submachine gun.  
  
Broderick saw the mutated anthropoid ape's eyes glowed red. He swore to himself again. "Duck!" He yelled.  
  
"Why?" Tibeaudeaux asked.  
  
"Just do it!" With that, two laser beams emanated from the eyes. The beams missed Tibeaudeaux by an inch while Broderick jumped over the banister to dodge it. He was about to free fall, but quickly grabbed the railing.  
  
Tibeaudeaux returned his fire, while Broderick hung about five meters from the ground. "Command to Beta Team."  
  
"What is it Hal? We're kind of busy." Broderick gasped. His grip was getting weaker.  
  
"Sensors detecting a Neo-Mitochondrion Creature nearby."  
  
"Thanks for the report. Beta Team Out." Broderick said the first part with sarcasm. 'Hurry up and kill it.' Broderick thought to himself. He tried to pull himself up, but lost his grip. He started to free fall.  
  
"Gotcha." Tibeaudeaux gasped grabbing Broderick's free hand. "How much do you weigh?" The inspector struggled pulling Broderick over the banister.  
  
"Thanks." Broderick sighed out of breath.  
  
"Let's consider it even." Tibeaudeaux smiled. "You save me back there in the custodian room."  
  
"Deal." Broderick smiled. "Let's go."  
  
They crossed the threshold of the door leading to the second floor. They quickly, but carefully search the second floor. At the end of the hall was another set of stairs that they quickly ran up. They didn't want to be caught in the same tight position again.  
  
Broderick and Tibeaudeaux were halfway through the third floor when they received a message from Baldwin.  
  
"Beta Team here." Broderick answered.  
  
"I'm detecting three Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures in your vicinity."  
  
"How many? Please repeat Command." Tibeaudeaux gasped.  
  
"Three."  
  
At that three conditionally enhanced anthropoid apes darted towards them. They raised their firearms and waited for the inevitable.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Tired Carradine?" Bouquet asked out of breath.  
  
"No." He panted. "You?"  
  
"No way." Bouquet dismissed. "I could go on for days."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Well that makes two kills for me." Bouquet gloated.  
  
"For the both of us." Carradine reminded.  
  
"Don't remind me." Bouquet sighed. She turned around and saw gold. "There's one!" Bouquet pointed to a Neo-Mitochondrion Creature heading for the next floor of the building.  
  
Bouquet and Carradine looked at each other. "It's mine." They said in unison as they chased after the creature.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Madigan and Dollis reloaded their weapons as they crossed over the dead bodies of the mutated apes still smoking from firearm discharge. "So Aya's being transferred." Madigan said continuing their conversation.  
  
"Yeah." Dollis sighed. "I don't know where or why though, but if I have to hazard a guess she's being transferred to Interpol, and that young agent..."  
  
"Eve Brea." Madigan whispered. "Her younger sister."  
  
"Yeah." Dollis sighed. "I believe that Eve is her replacement."  
  
"That makes sense." Madigan sighed. "But it doesn't matter." Madigan said apathetically. "It just proves my point."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Every time I tried to get close to her, she just pushes me away."  
  
"So that's why you're breaking up with her."  
  
"One of many reasons." Madigan sighed.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"I do." Madigan sighed. "But if she doesn't want to commit...God, why is this so hard." He sighed with frustration.  
  
"Kyle." Dollis began sympathetically. "Everything hard, scary, or risky in life is worth fighting for." Dollis advised. "Talk to her...Don't go into anything with haste...You might regret it."  
  
"Yeah." Madigan sighed. "I'll think about it."  
  
They were on their way towards the third floor when Baldwin came through with a Neo-Mitochondrion Creature alert. "There's one Neo-Mitochondrion Creature nearby." Baldwin reported.  
  
"I see it, Command." Dollis reported. "Delta Team out." He turned to his partner and saw that he was deep in frustration. "Com'on Kyle, everything's going to be okay."  
  
"From your lips..." He wished. "Let's kill some NMC's." Madigan charging towards the mutated primate.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"That's better." Aya smiled. "See I knew you could do it."  
  
"Thanks." Eve said looking at the two lifeless anthropoids. 'Why do they have to look so human.' Eve thought to herself.  
  
"Are you all right?" Aya asked.  
  
"I'll will be." Eve sighed. She looked at her sister and gave a smile. "So what's the second point."  
  
"Second point?"  
  
"In improving my technique." Eve reminded. "The first was to use my powers only when necessary."  
  
"Right, the second point is more a warning than anything else." Aya sighed. "Eve, you can't use your powers when other people are around, that is except the people in M.I.S.T." Aya sighed. "You can't risk exposing our secret, or alienating, or more importantly hurting our friends." Aya pointed out.  
  
"With great powers comes great responsibilities." Eve sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Aya smiled. "Com'on let's get going."  
  
With the two mutated anthropoid apes were killed the second floor was declared clean of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures. Eve and Aya quickly reached the third floor where they crossed quickly, but cautiously.  
  
"So is there something else I should know?" Eve asked.  
  
"Rupert could teach you the rest." Aya sighed. "Just listen to him, okay?"  
  
"Okay." Eve sighed.  
  
"Is there something else?" Aya sensing that there was more to her answer.  
  
"Yeah, our sixth sense...the one for detecting Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures..."  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" Aya asked.  
  
"Does it work when there's no Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures around?" Eve asked. "Does it go off for no reason?" Aya detected a hint of hope in her voice.  
  
"No it doesn't, that is not to me, why do you ask?" Aya asked.  
  
"I sensed it before." Eve confessed. "At the National Center of Mitochondrion Control and Studies." Eve acknowledged.  
  
"In Atlanta?"  
  
"Yeah." Eve sighed. "What does that mean?"  
  
"I don't know." Aya sighed ominously. "I think we should talk to Baldwin." Aya suggested.  
  
"Yeah that's a good idea." Eve smiled.  
  
The third floor was free from Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures so they quickly took the stairs to reach the top floor. They arrived on the fourth floor where Dr. Smith's laboratory was located.  
  
"Alpha Team to Command." Aya asked.  
  
"Command here."  
  
"We're entering the lab." Aya reported to Baldwin.  
  
"Be careful, sensors indicate that Smith is still in his office." Baldwin reported back.  
  
"Ten. Four." Aya answered.  
  
She opened the door to the laboratory and crossed the threshold. Aya and Eve's sixth sense went crazy. A Neo-Mitochondrion Creature was near by. Eve could hear her sister's heart beating synchronous to hers. The mitochondria enhanced monkey jumped from behind the cage, landing on Eve's chest.  
  
Eve screamed with fear. She saw the savageness of the anthropoid ape an instinctively summoned her mitochondria to produce electricity. She felt the whoosh of the wind ringing through her ears and slamming against the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature.  
  
Aya witnessed Eve using her parasitic energy to cast Plasma, which tossed the mutated primate high in the air. 'Atta girl.' Aya smiled to herself. She took aim with her firearm and quickly released a volley of 9mm bullets. Eve did the same, by unleashing her weapon at its chest. She could feel the mutated blood splattered on her face.  
  
Eve rolled away as the ape fell back down. She got on one knee and liberated another round of bullets. It fell down cracking its neck, yet it was still alive. Eve slowly raised her weapon and looked into the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature's eyes. She saw fear in its eyes, like it was pleading for mercy. Aya took a shot at the primate, putting it out of its misery.  
  
"You okay?" Aya asked.  
  
"Yeah." Eve sighed. "I have yet to get use to this 'killing in cold blood' thing." Eve retorted. "So did I use my parasite powers right?" Eve asked coming out of her trance.  
  
"You did well." Aya smiled.  
  
"Yeah, but I didn't..."  
  
"You'll get the hang of it." Aya supported.  
  
At that Broderick, Tibeaudeaux, Dollis and Madigan entered the laboratory. The four walked towards the Brea sisters. Aya saw Kyle's solemn demeanor and knew that something was wrong. She was about to ask Kyle what was bothering him, when there was a rumble outside in the hall and her sixth sense went crazy. "Something's coming!" Aya warned.  
  
The six raised their firearms as a terrified mutated monkey ran through the door. It stopped with surprise as it saw the crowd in the laboratory. Simultaneously, all six members took a few shots at the lone anthropoid and killed it.  
  
"Where did it go?" Aya could hear Bouquet's voice down the hall.  
  
"It went into that room." Carradine yelled.  
  
"Carradine it's mine."  
  
"You wish Bouquet." Carradine said rushing into the room. He stopped in awe when he saw the dead Neo-Mitochondrion Creature. Bouquet quickly rushed into the room and bumped into him. "Hey watch where you going." Carradine whispered through his teeth. They quickly reserved themselves when they saw their six partners standing around them. "Did you kill it?" He asked them.  
  
"Of course." Aya said feeling clueless. The two slumped with disappointment. "What's wrong?" Aya asked. "You two had a wager going or something?"  
  
"No." They replied in unison.  
  
Aya didn't quite believe them, but she shrugged it off. "Com'on, let's get Smith." Aya ordered.  
  
The party of eight headed to the back of the laboratory where the former Dr. Robert Smith's office used to be. They were about a meter away from the door when Aya and Eve heard Broderick and Tibeaudeaux screamed in pain. Aya smelled burning flesh and knew that she and Eve were on their own.  
  
"Don't worry." Aya sighed. "We'll take care of him."  
  
"What was that about?" Eve asked.  
  
"It's a defense mechanism that is inherited to Class B Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures or higher." Aya started to explain. "Somehow these creatures have the ability to communicate with dormant mitochondria and control them, if they pass within their radius of projection. The more powerful the Neo-Mitochondrion Creature the larger the radius."  
  
"Like to produce fire." Eve suggested. "And we're aren't affected because of our slightly enhanced mitochondria immune system."  
  
"That's right." Aya smiled opening the door.  
  
"What a blessing." Eve sighed.  
  
"Or a curse." Aya said under her breath. "Com'on, let's go." Aya said entering the room.  
  
Their mitochondria went crazy telling them that he was nearby. The room was still messy and was small, but they couldn't see him. Aya darted at the window to see if it was open, it wasn't. She sighed with relief the last thing Aya wanted was to allow what happened yesterday to repeat itself.  
  
"Where is he?" Eve asked Baldwin. "We know he's here."  
  
"Infrared sensors suggests that it's still in the room." Baldwin reported.  
  
Aya and Eve heard a sinister laughter echoing from every direction of the room. "Where are you Smith!" Aya yelled in the room. Laughter was her only answer; it resounded around the room getting louder by each passing second.  
  
"Carradine to Brea."  
  
"Brea here." Aya replied.  
  
"Open the door." Carradine ordered. "I have something to give you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Trust me." Carradine replied.  
  
Aya walked towards the door and opened it. Carradine took off his sunglasses and threw it to Aya. "Your sunglasses?" Aya asked with confusion. She quickly picked it up and closed the door. The last thing she wanted was Dr. Smith to escape.  
  
"Press the second circular button on the left rim and put it on." Carradine came through the intercom.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's something I invited." Carradine sighed. "I call it a multi-functioning sunglasses. You've just put it the glasses in an infrared detector and Aya please take care of it. I only have one."  
  
Aya was elated in hearing the news. "Carradine I could kiss you." Aya smiled putting on the glasses. She looked around the room and saw a six-foot Neo-Mitochondrion Creature approaching Eve. "Eve duck!" Aya said lifting her hand towards Dr. Smith and commanded her mitochondria to produce fire. Fire swept in front of her engulfing the invisible Dr. Smith.  
  
Eve gasped seeing the silhouette of the invisible Dr. Smith. She raised her weapon and started firing. It was hopeless the bullets bounced off the invisible Neo-Mitochondrion Creature without any damage.  
  
Having been caught Dr. Smith allowed himself to be seen. Eve's eyes dilated with fear. Robert Smith was hovering about two feet in the air. He was so close that she could smell his breath. His hair was wild and flowing, his eyes burned with white energy. Eve froze she couldn't move.  
  
"Eve move!" Aya yelled discharged her weapon with no success. Smith approached Eve his hands held glowing balls of white energy. He was ready to throw them at her. Aya dropped her weapon and grabbed her secondary firearm with anti-mitochondria toxin. She triggered a round into Smith and swore to herself. The bullets bounced off Smith, his laugh echoing through the air.  
  
"What's wrong?" Baldwin asked.  
  
"The Maeda bullets were ineffective." Aya reported with fear. Smith threw the two white energy balls at Eve, which she took full blast. Aya threw her secondary firearm on the ground and ran towards Eve pushing her out of the way from the second volley.  
  
She placed her hand on Eve's chest and summoned her mitochondria to release a soothing, and healing burst of liquid energy. "Eve snap out of it." Aya yelled.  
  
"I...I...I can't." Eve stuttered. "I...I...I'm sorry."  
  
"That's okay." Aya sighed. She quickly picked up her sister and rushed behind Smith's desk. White energy balls were fired quickly behind Aya. Fortunately, they were a couple of steps behind Aya. "Stay here." Aya ordered.  
  
"I...sorry." Eve cried. She kept on repeating it over and over.  
  
"That's okay." Aya sympathized. Aya was about to leave when Eve pulled her down.  
  
"Don't go." Eve cried. "Please."  
  
Aya sighed and sympathized with her sister. "Okay." Aya smiled.  
  
Using the desk as a shield Aya stood up and shot three fireballs towards Dr. Smith. Simultaneously, Smith threw two white energy balls towards Aya. She was able to dodge one energy ball, but was hit with the other.  
  
Aya continued the same motion a few more rounds until her mitochondria were too tired to produce more fire energy. 'I can't continue to do this.' Aya thought. 'This is way too counter productive, perhaps a different strategy, but what?' Aya thought frantically.  
  
She looked around and in the corner of her eye Aya saw Eve's Magnum resting in one of her attachments. An epiphany hit her with a vengeance. "Brea to Bouquet." She cried through the intercom.  
  
"Bouquet here. What is it?"  
  
"I need to know the strength of one Maeda Bullet."  
  
"I'm flattered that you'll ask me..." Bouquet's voice came ringing proudly. Aya had no time to listen to her.  
  
"Just tell me!" Aya yelled back.  
  
"Seventy." Bouquet answered quickly.  
  
"Thank you. Brea out." Aya said. 'Let's see if I cast Energy Shot it should increase the power by about fifty to sixty percent.' Aya thought. She quickly calculated the equation in her head. 'That's one hundred five to one hundred twelve.' Aya thought.  
  
She placed her hand on Eve's firearm and commanded her mitochondria to cast her powers - it failed. Her mitochondria were too fatigued. She looked at Eve and had an idea. "Eve, honey I need you do something for me."  
  
"I can't too scared." She was still shaking.  
  
"Eve I just want you to use your parasite energy and cast Energy Shot on your weapon." Aya said carefully placing Eve's hand over the weapon. "You can do it." Aya encouraged. "I know you can. I believe in you."  
  
"Okay." Eve said, her voice still filled with fear. She closed her eyes and allowed her parasitic powers flow into the weapon. "There." Eve smiled.  
  
"Atta girl." Aya smiled.  
  
"Is there anything else I could do?"  
  
"Yeah, pray that this will work or it means death to all of us." Aya said the last part of the sentence under her breath. She didn't want to scare her sister. She quickly got up and discharged her weapon. "Yes." Aya cheered. It worked. Smith screamed with pain. He was mad and unleashed a multitude of energy balls at her, but Aya allowed them to hit her as she unleashed the fury of the toxic bullets.  
  
Aya got to knee; she was taking in too much damage. She was about to go back down and take some capsules to regain some energy, but she oddly felt the cool, healing powers of the water rushing through her system. Aya's strength was quickly returning to her. She looked down and saw Eve touching her shin. Aya knew that she cast a Healing spell. "Are you feeling a little better?" Aya asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Would you like to help me?" Aya asked still shooting at Smith.  
  
"I'm scared." Eve replied.  
  
"So am I." Aya confessed.  
  
Eve then remembered Aya's confession before they went into the building. 'If my sister could do it, so can I.' Eve thought. She took a deep, cleansing breath and got up. She summoned her mitochondria to produce fireballs.  
  
Aya was pleasantly surprised to see fireballs heading towards Smith. In her peripheral vision she saw Eve using the same technique that Aya used before. 'Atta girl.' Aya smiled.  
  
A few minutes later, Smith roared and shot up towards the ceiling. He broke through the ceiling creating a new sunroof. That action created so much dust that it stopped both Aya and her sister from continuing on. The dust quickly cleared as Aya and Eve saw that Smith was gone. Aya swore to herself. "Alpha Team to Command."  
  
"I know." Baldwin replied. "I saw him escape." Baldwin sighed. "He turned invisible a few seconds after he broke through the building's ceiling. We don't know where's he heading." Baldwin came through.  
  
"What do you want us to do?"  
  
Aya waited patiently for his answer. She could literally think the cogs working in Baldwin's head. "Report back to me for debriefing." Baldwin sighed. "We'll have another chance."  
  
Aya swore again throwing Eve's firearm on the ground with frustration.  
  
John F. Kennedy International Airport  
New York, New York  
12:00 EST  
  
The inevitable was happening, something Aya feared since she heard the news of her reassignment. That moment was at hand, her plane was about to land, and she was about to leave again. At least she's not leaving New York alone, her new partner Tibeaudeaux would be leaving with her.  
  
Baldwin, Carradine, and Bouquet would be leaving to Los Angeles that day too. Leaving Eve and Broderick in New York with Dollis, Madigan, and the rest of the New York City Police for back up.  
  
Aya sighed and contemplated how Eve would put up with all of this. Aya handed her F.B.I. badge and weapon to Baldwin and shook his hand. "Good luck, Hunter." Baldwin smiled. "It's been a pleasure serving with you."  
  
"I'll be back." Aya smiled. "That I promise you."  
  
"I'll keep your seat warm." Baldwin smiled.  
  
"Aya, should we tell him now." Eve whispered.  
  
"Tell me what?" Baldwin asked.  
  
"Aya could I talk to you?" Madigan interrupted. "We NEED to talk."  
  
"Sure." Aya sighed. She saw the same look when they were in the laboratory earlier; she was worried about him. "Eve why don't you tell Hal about it."  
  
"But..." Eve's protest would not be heard. Aya left the two alone.  
  
"Well, what is it?" Baldwin asked.  
  
Eve was nervous, she thought it was odd that she had never felt anxiety with Baldwin before, but before this moment, she considered Hal as her 'uncle' and not her boss. "I don't know if you know this, but Aya and I have some sort of sixth sense that..."  
  
"Detects Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures." Baldwin finished Eve's sentence.  
  
"You know?" Eve asked.  
  
"There's very little that I don't know when it concerns M.I.S.T." Baldwin smiled.  
  
"Well today was not the first day I felt it." Eve confessed. "I felt it before, but I didn't know what it was."  
  
"When?" Baldwin asked, knowing the answer. He kept his shock buried deep within him. "At the National Center of Mitochondrion Control and Studies." Baldwin suggested. 'It only makes sense.' Baldwin thought. 'But the Center has no Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures or do they?'  
  
"How did you..." Eve stopped her thought in mid-sentence. She realized that all her life she had either lived in Neo Ark or at the National Center of Mitochondrion Control and Studies.  
  
"Are you sure?" Baldwin asked.  
  
"I am." Eve said confidently. "I'm telling you there are Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures at the Center."  
  
"Where did you sense it?"  
  
"There's this big metal door..."  
  
"I know it well." Baldwin interrupted. It was the only door that Baldwin couldn't open the one his friend Louis Freeh, the Director of the F.B.I. told him that the contents located behind the door were confidential. 'Why would there be Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures at the Center?' Baldwin asked himself.  
  
"Sir?" Eve asked with concern breaking Baldwin's thoughts.  
  
"Oh, thank you for your report." Baldwin smiled. "If you don't mind, I need to talk to Agents Carradine and Bouquet in private. Would you get them for me?" Baldwin asked.  
  
"Sure." Eve left to do her superior's order.  
  
Baldwin was in deep thought. 'What is Freeh covering up? But more importantly, who was he covering it up for?'  
  
"Hey Hal, you called for us?" Carradine asked.  
  
"Yeah." Baldwin sighed. "I won't be joining you on your trip to Los Angeles. I have business with an old friend in D.C." Baldwin announced. "Bouquet you'll be in command in my absence, Carradine I need you to call in a few of your favours with your contacts, I want to know if there's a shadow project that the government is doing pertaining to the enhancement of mitochondria or anything thereof." Baldwin ordered.  
  
"But sir?" Carradine asked. "Aren't you suppose to know everything about M.I.S.T. and everything pertaining to it?"  
  
"Apparently I don't." Baldwin sighed. "I'll see what I can turn up in D.C. while you'll be working in California. Something's afoot and I NEED to know what it is." Baldwin demanded.  
  
"Yes sir." They replied in unison.  
  
"Dismissed." Baldwin ordered.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What is it Kyle?" Aya asked with apprehension. She was worried about him.  
  
"We need to talk." Madigan reiterated emotionless.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Us."  
  
Aya's heart dropped. "Okay."  
  
"Please sit."  
  
Aya knew that it was bad news, when she was asked to sit. She took her seat and Madigan joined her. "Kyle, what's wrong?" Aya asked, her voice cracked.  
  
Madigan took a deep breath. "I think we should take a break from each other." He finally said, he didn't believe that he could bring himself to say it.  
  
"You're breaking up with me?"  
  
"No." Madigan quickly answered. "I just think we should spend some time apart."  
  
Aya was shocked, flabbergasted. "May I ask why?"  
  
"I just don't...I just don't feel close to you anymore." Madigan said above a whisper.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Aya protested. "I tell you everything!"  
  
"Then why did I have to find out about your transfer from Daniel?" Aya remained silent. "And why won't you tell me about your bad dreams?"  
  
"Kyle, there are some things I can't talk about with you."  
  
"I understand about Bureau matters being confidential." Madigan protested. "My investigations are classified too, but being transferred? Your bad dreams? Aya those things are trivial!" Madigan shouted. He realized that he was losing his temper. He took a deep breath and recomposed himself. "I love you Aya and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but you need to tell me when things are bothering you. You have to let me into your life."  
  
"Kyle, there are some things about me that I can't tell you; some things that are confidential." Aya interrupted.  
  
"Com'on Aya, who are you kidding and am I going to tell?" Madigan scoffed. "We've been together for three years and been living with each other for two, don't you trust me?" The statement hurt Madigan. "Please let me into your life." He begged.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't...not right now." Aya allowed a few tears to flow. Her heart was broken. Madigan held her cheek delicately whipping her tears with his thumb. "Could you give me some time? Do we have to break up?" Aya said holding his hand.  
  
"There's nothing here for me...not right now any ways." Madigan sighed. He leaned forward and gave Aya a kiss. "Good bye Aya." He whispered. Madigan looked into her eyes one more time and got up to leave.  
  
"Kyle wait!" Aya cried.  
  
Madigan turned around and looked at Aya. "What is it?"  
  
"I...I..." Aya shook her head. She wanted to tell him everything about her, but she couldn't, not now, not just yet.  
  
"You were this close." Madigan sighed showing Aya the distance between his thumb and index finger. "I'll give nine out of ten, an A for effort, but it's not enough." He pointed out. He took another deep breath to compose himself. "I'll be moving my stuff out when I have the chance." Madigan said leaving the airport.  
  
Aya held her tears within her. 'I have to be strong.' Aya reminded herself. The announcement telling her flight was ready for boarding came on. She got up and headed to where everyone was waiting for her.  
  
"God Speed." Dollis said.  
  
"Thanks." Aya smiled giving her old friend a hug.  
  
"Did Kyle..." Dollis whispered.  
  
"Yeah." Aya answered softly.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Aya went down the line of people waiting to say good bye to her. "Good Luck." Broderick smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Aya hugged him. "You take care of my sister. Even if she gives you a rough time."  
  
"I will."  
  
"I have something for you." Aya smiled. "But promise me that you won't open it until tomorrow." Aya warned.  
  
"What is it?" Broderick said looking at a strange package.  
  
"I didn't have time to wrap it, but it's for your birthday tomorrow." Aya smiled. "Happy fortieth."  
  
"Oh you shouldn't have." Broderick blushed.  
  
"To see you blush?" Aya smiled. "It was worth it."  
  
"Bye Aya." Eve's voice cracked.  
  
"Hey don't you cry." Aya smiled whipping her tears. "You'll be fine. Just remember my advice, and listen to Broderick."  
  
"I will." Eve hugged her older sister.  
  
Aya went down the line to the rest of the M.I.S.T. team. "Take care of the country while I'm gone." Aya smiled hugging the remanding three friends.  
  
"You take care of yourself." Baldwin said.  
  
"I will." Aya smiled.  
  
"Um, Aya could I have my sunglasses back?" Carradine asked.  
  
Aya smiled and took the sunglasses of her head. "You better get that thing patented." Aya smiled. "It's worth millions."  
  
"Thanks, I will." Carradine smiled.  
  
The final boarding announcement to Aya's flight was called through the ambient sounds of the airport. "We've better be going." Tibeaudeaux said.  
  
"Yeah." Aya sighed. "I'll be back." Aya smiled leaving her friends behind.  
  
Eve stood there watching her sister leave, even after she long disappeared and her flight had long gone. It wasn't her only good bye for the day. An hour later, Carradine and Bouquet left for Los Angeles and an hour after that Baldwin left for Washington D.C.  
  
"Com'on, let's go." Broderick said when everyone left. "They'll be okay."  
  
"Yeah." Eve smiled.  
  
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct  
New York, New York  
16:00 EST  
  
"Hey Kyle you want to talk about it?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Not particularly." He sighed. Madigan had been working nonstop since Aya left trying to cover his feelings.  
  
"All right." Dollis sighed. "I'll be here if you need me."  
  
"Yeah...Thanks." Madigan said. He was not one bit interested at the proposal.  
  
He continued his work forgetting the offer. He flipped through a couple of pages. Dr. Smith has eluded the N.Y.P.D. again; at least they know that he could turn invisible and fly. He was lost in thought in his duty when his pager buzzed. He picked it up and a message scrolled across the screen. It was a web-site address. 'What the...' Kyle swore to himself. 'I don't know this site.' He dropped the papers in his hands and looked around.  
  
"Hey Wayne." Madigan asked. "Do you have a computer hooked up to the net. It's important." Madigan said stressing the last part of his request.  
  
"You could use the computer in the captain's office." Garcia said.  
  
"Thanks." Madigan walked into the office turning Dollis' computer on. He drummed his fingers on the desk waiting for the computer to reboot. Madigan logged onto the net and typed the address of the web-site that his pager showed. It was a private chat-room and someone he knew was inside. 'What's he doing here?' He asked himself.  
  
EAGLE2: mole?  
MOLE47: the one and only.  
EAGLE2: how you get my pager number?  
MOLE47: that's not important. we NEED to meet.  
  
Madigan was shocked. He has never seen Mole before. The fact that he or she wanted to meet him frightened him. He went back into his keyboard and typed his response.  
  
EAGLE2: where?  
MOLE47: washington, d.c.  
EAGLE2: why?  
MOLE47: it concerns hunter.  
  
"Aya." Madigan whispered.  
  
EAGLE2: how?  
MOLE47: u know when u get here...well?  
EAGLE2: okay.  
MOLE47: good, tickets would be at JFK for six.  
EAGLE2: c u soon.  
  
Madigan looked at his watch and realized that he needed to be at the airport very soon. He quickly logged off and ceremoniously draped his leather jacket on and left the police station.  
  
"Kyle, where are you going?" Broderick asked coming in with Eve. He didn't answer and continued on his way.  
  
"I wonder what's wrong with him." Eve sighed.  
  
"I don't know." Broderick sighed. "Don't worry about him, let's get some work done and then I'll treat you to some dinner. All right?"  
  
"Okay." Eve smiled.  
  
Dollis' Residence  
New York, New York  
18:00 EST  
  
"You what?!?" Ben Dollis' voice echoed through the small kitchen.  
  
"You heard me." Daniel Dollis replied calmly. "I want you to give up your room for a guest that would be staying here tonight."  
  
"You got to be kidding me!" Ben shouted. "Where are they any ways?"  
  
"They're at dinner." Daniel replied. "They'll be home soon."  
  
"Dad I don't want to sleep on the couch!"  
  
"Son!" Daniel raised his voice. "Kyle Madigan would take one room, while Rupert Broderick takes the second guest room and..."  
  
"I don't care!" Ben said storming out the room. "I will not sleep on the couch!" He reiterated. Ben was so mad that he almost missed the blonde hair, teal-eyed teenaged girl standing by the threshold. "Hi." Ben said breathless, he was surprised and very attracted to her.  
  
"Ben this is Eve Brea, Aya's sister. Eve this is Benjamin Dollis, my son." Daniel introduced.  
  
"Please call me Ben. All my friends do." He blushed.  
  
"I...I'm sorry." Eve stuttered and blushed. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'll be perfectly comfortable sleeping on the couch." Eve offered.  
  
"Nonsense." Ben said with a grimace on his face. "You're the guest, please have my room. I insist."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No buts." Ben interrupted. "Now let me carry your bags to your room."  
  
"Well...okay." Eve sighed. "Thank you." She smiled leaving the room with Ben, leaving Broderick and Daniel Dollis alone in the kitchen.  
  
"Why do I get a bad feeling about this?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Oh I don't know." Broderick sighed. "Two thirteen year olds of the opposite sex living under the same roof. What could possibly go wrong?" Broderick sarcastically asked.  
  
"I'll call the National Guard tomorrow." Dollis sighed.  
  
"Better make it tonight."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Eve sat on a window seat by the bay window in Ben Dollis' room reading Lord Byron. This was her warped idea of having fun, then again, being locked up in one sort of "prison" or another all one's life would do that to anyone. At the Center, she had access to the Library of Congress in her own room and spent most of her spare time reading.  
  
Eve fell in love with the romantics, she enjoyed reading the poetry and being thirsted away into a world so much different than what she was accustom to, something that she always dreamed of. Eve would at times daydream about the people she read about, pretending that she was the heroine being whisked away in an adventure of endless love and romance.  
  
This time was no different; she gazed at the moon and started dreaming. She was lost in her thoughts that she didn't even hear Ben knocking. "Hey Eve? You okay?" Ben asked waving his hand into her sight of vision.  
  
Eve came out of her trance and looked at Ben. "Hey Ben, what are you doing here?" She asked, obviously not hearing his concerns.  
  
"I thought you might need some extra towels." Ben smiled putting them on the bed.  
  
"Thanks." Eve smiled.  
  
"So where were you just now?" Ben smiled.  
  
"Oh, I was reading." Eve blushed.  
  
"Do you always read by looking at the sky?" Ben bantered.  
  
"Only when I'm reading Byron." Eve smiled.  
  
"Byron?" Ben asked. "Why would you read Byron, when you're not in school?" Ben smiled sitting across from her on the window seat.  
  
"He's one of my favourites." Eve smiled.  
  
There was a short, but really uncomfortable silence as the two young teenagers looked at each other. Eve felt stuffy and hot. "So who's this?" Ben asked, his voice cracked.  
  
Eve looked to the bed where her teddy bear rest. "Oh, that's Boko." Eve smiled.  
  
"Kinda tattered for a stuff animal. It's missing an eye." Ben noted.  
  
"Yeah, it's the only remnant of my childhood." Eve smiled.  
  
Silence again, Ben hated it. "So, um, where are you from?"  
  
Eve stalled; she didn't know what to say. The last thing she wanted to do was to blow her cover. "I'm from Atlanta, Georgia, but was born in Dryfield, Nevada." Eve smiled.  
  
"Never heard of it."  
  
"It's a tiny town, population ten or something." Eve dismissed. "So were you born in New York?"  
  
"Yeah, right here in Manhattan." Ben smiled. "Is this your first time in New York?"  
  
"Yeah." Eve said romantically looking at the moon. "First time anywhere."  
  
"Really?" Ben's sounded happy. "Since school's out why don't I show you around the town. I know New York like the back of my hand." Ben hinted tentatively, he was nervous asking her out.  
  
Eve was shocked about the request. She wanted to tell him that she couldn't, because she was on duty. She bit her lower lip. "That's sounds like fun, but..."  
  
"Oh, I understand." Ben sighed in defeat, his ego being bruised. He didn't want to hear any excuse for a broken heart. He got off the bed and was about to leave.  
  
Eve hated to disappoint her new friend. She hated to see anyone with a broken heart. "I'm suppose to spend the day with Uncle Rupert." Eve blurted out the first lie that came to her mind. She really wanted to spend some time with her new friend.  
  
"Oh, I see." Ben smiled. "Well, maybe we could do something tomorrow evening."  
  
"I don't know." Eve sighed. "I think Uncle Rupert may have plans for me."  
  
"No he doesn't." Ben smiled. "I overheard Dad and Rupert talking, they're going out for dinner to celebrate Rupert's birthday."  
  
"Really?" Eve asked. She was smiling inside. "Okay, where do you want to go?"  
  
"How about Coney Island, the circus is in town." Ben smiled.  
  
"That sounds like fun." Eve smiled. Her eyes glittering at the prospect.  
  
"Great! It's a date!" Ben was just as excited as she was. His victory was cut short when there was a knocking on the door.  
  
"Come in." Eve sang.  
  
Daniel Dollis entered with a phone in his hand. "Hey guys what are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing." They answered innocently. Daniel knew that they were hiding something.  
  
"Ben was just bringing me some extra towels." Eve replied.  
  
"Uh huh." Daniel sighed unconvincingly. "Aya's on the phone for you." He said remembering the reason he entered the room.  
  
"Oh thanks." Eve smiled rushing towards Daniel grabbing the phone. "Hello?" Aya was glad to hear that her sister sounded happy.  
  
"Hi Eve." Aya replied. "How are you settling in?"  
  
"Everything's fine." Eve said smiling at Ben. "How about you?"  
  
"Okay." Aya sighed. "I just landed in Lyons, not too long ago."  
  
"What time is it there?"  
  
"Two in the morning, what time is it there?"  
  
"Eight in the evening." Eve repeated.  
  
"I'm just calling to tell everyone that I'm okay. Is Kyle there?" Aya asked the last part tentatively.  
  
"Kyle?" Eve asked looking at the guest in her room. Daniel Dollis shrugged his shoulders. "He's not home."  
  
"Are you sure?" Aya asked. "He's not avoiding me is he?"  
  
"No he's REALLY not home." Eve replied. "Why would you ask that?"  
  
"Oh, no reason." Aya sighed. "I've better be going. Talk to you later. Give everyone my love."  
  
"Bye." Eve replied hanging up. She looked up to her guests. "Aya sends her love." She smiled.  
  
"All right." Daniel sighed. "Ben and I should leave you now." Dollis stressed that sentence to his son.  
  
"Dad." Ben protested.  
  
"That's okay, Mr. Dollis." Eve interrupted. "Ben's not bothering me."  
  
"All right." Daniel sighed. "Just don't stay up too late." He said purposely leaving the door wide open.  
  
Washington Dulles International Airport  
Washington, District of Columbia  
21:00 EST  
  
Kyle Madigan looked at his watch and scoffed at the time. He has been sitting there for about an hour. 'Where the heck is he?' Kyle was frustrated. Mole was suppose to meet him here, but has yet to come.  
  
Madigan sighed, leaning back in his seat, closing his eyes. He could hear the ambient sounds of the airport. He needed to close his eyes, to rest, to quiet his mind of everything that has happened.  
  
"Kyle Madigan there's a package for you at customer service." The announcement repeated itself once more and soon faded into the ambient environment.  
  
Madigan opened his eyes and swore softly to himself. He got up and wondered where customer service was. He quickly walked down one direction until he came to a map. He was going the right way, just a few more meters down.  
  
There was a small line at the counter, where he waited impatiently. He looked at his watch again and scoffed. It wasn't until ten minutes later that he got to the counter.  
  
"Hi, how may I help you?" The woman behind the counter asked way too happily for Madigan's taste.  
  
"My name is Madigan, I believe you have a package for me?"  
  
"Yes, do you have some identification."  
  
"Yeah." He sighed, pulling out his wallet and showed him his driver's license. In return she gave him an envelope. Madigan quickly opened the envelope, which had a set of hotel keys and a fifty-dollar bill inside in tandem with a note.  
  
"Is something wrong sir?" She asked with concern. She saw that Madigan was looking at her.  
  
"Yeah." Madigan sighed. "Did you see the person that gave you this envelope?"  
  
"Um, let me check." She looked at her notes. "It was sent this morning, with a note telling us to announce the delivery at nine tonight. I wasn't on duty, and didn't see the person." She reported. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."  
  
"That's okay." He sighed. Madigan got out of the line and read the note that was in the envelope. The letters were cut from different parts of a magazine. He then started to read it.  
  
MADiGaN,  
  
SEe YoU IN tHe moRNiNG.  
tHe aDdrEsS oF thE hOteL iS On kEy.  
TaKe moNeY to pAy FoR caB.  
  
MoLe.  
  
"Great." Kyle sighed. He left the airport and hailed a cab.  
  
Location: Unknown.  
22:00 EST  
  
He sat by his desk working laboriously. He was worried. She was late. 'Where is she?' He asked himself pacing the room. 'She was due a day ago. Could she be...no.' He couldn't finished that question. He looked out the window to see a clear night. The moon shone and the stars twinkled silently. A knocking on his door interrupted his worries and thoughts.  
  
"Come in." He quietly announced.  
  
The door opened and a small girl in a burlap cloak came in dragging a metallic box in her right hand. She remained silent.  
  
"Finally." He said with anxiety. He rushed to the girl and got on his knees. He took off the hood and see if she were okay. Her teal eyes told him that she was hurt, but okay. He brushed her soft baby blonde hair away. "Are you okay?" She nodded in response.  
  
Did you get it?"  
  
She nodded again, giving the metallic box to him. He brought the box to his desk and opened it. "Good it's the Xeno Stone." He said to himself. 'Plan A is complete.' He thought to himself closing the vacuum box.  
  
He looked at the girl; she was still standing in the same spot. "Good work." The girl smiled at the response. She was pleased that he was happy. He walked towards the girl and got to his knees again putting on her hood. "Now execute Plan B." The girl nodded and left.  
  
He walked towards his desk and chuckled to himself. 'The fools wanted to destroy this, they don't know the true power this thing has.' He started to laugh out loud, an evil, sinister laugh.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	5. First Impressions.

MITOCHONDRION EPIDEMIC  
By: Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this posted up so late. I've been busy with a million different things most of them miserable. You probably know the drill: school, work, life, same old same old. I've also been working on other series that I'm presently writing.  
  
Firstly, I like to apologize in advance for the lack of action in this chapter, but it's compensated with chalk full off suspense (or at least I think so). This chapter is mostly to advance the plot. I promise more action in the next chapter. Secondly, I have trouble with the situation and formation of the four story lines in this chapter because they are in three different time frames. French Standard Time (FST), Eastern Standard Time (EST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST) that have a six-hour and three-hour difference respectively.  
  
I thought of relating all the time zone into one neutral time zone, i.e. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but that made the story out of sync. People would be going to work in what seemed like the middle of the afternoon, so to prevent confusion I decided against it and have the four threads in their respective time zones and continue the story chronologically. Enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS.  
  
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde  
Lyons, France  
July 16, 2003, 06:00 FST  
  
Aya buried her head deeper within her covers, she felt safe within its confines. The rays of the rising sun slowly creep through her window, slowly announcing the inevitable - the morning. The phone on her nightstand rang. She grunted and answered the phone on its third ring.  
  
"Hello?" She tiredly greeted.  
  
"Mademoiselle Hunter, this is your wake up call for six in the morning."  
  
"Thank you." She thanked the porter.  
  
"De rien!" The porter replied hanging up the phone.  
  
Aya sat up on her bed leaning against the headboard. The morning larks were singing their melodic songs soothing her tired body. Aya closed her eyes allowing their song to rejuvenate her essence. In the past three days she had spent more time traveling than battling Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures. She just wanted to rest for five more minutes. 'Just five more.' She sighed.  
  
Being jetlagged was just the tip of her problems. She was overstressed, overworked, and felt under-appreciated. She had a million things going on in her mind, so many things she wanted to address in her life, but those concerns had to be put aside for the time being. There were greater matters to attend to first.  
  
Aya took a deep sigh. She looked at the phone and stared at it thinking. She picked up the phone and pressed a series of numbers. The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Room Service."  
  
"Yeah. I like some coffee and a buttered croissant for breakfast." Aya asked. "Oh, and please leave it outside." Aya added.  
  
"It'll be right up."  
  
"Thank you." Aya expressed her gratitude. She headed towards the lavatory to start her day. She had a feeling that it will be a long one.  
  
Interpol Headquarters  
Lyons, France  
09:00 FST  
  
Inspector Rene Tibeaudeaux tried to make small talk en route to Interpol Headquarters, but Aya was uncommunicative. She was occupied with the thoughts of her relationship, or lack of, with Kyle Madigan. 'He's right.' Aya thought. 'I didn't really trust him.'  
  
Aya always had a hard time trusting people; it started when she was young. To no fault of her own, she was the sole survivor of a fatal car accident where her mother and older sister died. That was the day where she first became suspicious of everyone; it was the first day she lost her trust in people.  
  
Living in an orphanage didn't help either; one perspective parent would promise to adopt her, but ultimately turned her down because of her "older" age or other supercilious reasons, this facilitated her feeling of mistrust. Moving from foster home to foster home further jaded her trust; it made her feel like dispensable chattel. Promises were constantly broken and so was her fragile heart. At an early age she learned that she could only trust herself.  
  
Perhaps, that's why she wanted to become a police officer, she wanted people to trust her, and she had to know that she could trust herself. It was all going well, until one fateful Christmas day in 1997 where her mitochondria were awakened. The liberation of her parasitic powers build or strengthen some bridge of trust like it did with Daniel Dollis, but it burned more burned more bridges then it built.  
  
"We're here." Tibeaudeaux announced stopping the car.  
  
Aya looked at Interpol Headquarters and was surprised with its openness exterior. Aya had thought that being a World Intelligence agency that it would be intrusive and uninviting, but she was glad that she was wrong. It rather looked like the United Nations with International flags all over the place   
  
"Coming?" Tibeaudeaux asked.  
  
Aya came out of her trance. "Yeah." Aya got out of the car and followed her new partner. 'I must keep my mind on my duty.' Aya reminded herself.  
  
"Are you all right?" Tibeaudeaux asked.  
  
Aya looked into Tibeaudeaux's eyes and in that split second she knew that she didn't trust him, not yet any ways. "I'm fine." Aya lied. "Just tired."  
  
"That's understandable." Tibeaudeaux sighed.  
  
He led Aya through the foyer towards a tall Caucasian man with forest green eyes and short brown hair. "Rene." He smiled shaking his hand.  
  
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux smiled. "May I introduce Hunter...I'm sorry I don't even know your name." Tibeaudeaux asked embarrassingly. He felt guilty, like he had a one-night stand with her.  
  
"Hunter would suffice." Aya sighed. "Nice to meet you..."  
  
"Head Inspector Logan Savage." He replied flabbergasted. "Forgive me, I thought Hunter would be a man." He said shaking her hand.  
  
"Most men do." Aya replied directing a smile to Tibeaudeaux.  
  
"Ah, has Rene put his foot in his mouth again?" Savage asked.  
  
"Does he do that often?"  
  
"Perpetually." Savage smiled. "I have heard reports that he was born with his foot in his mouth."  
  
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux quietly scolded. Aya chuckled silently to herself. "Could we start with Hunter's training?" He asked changing the subject.  
  
"Of course." Savage smiled. He went into his inner breast pocket and pulled out a firearm. "Welcome to Interpol Inspector Hunter." He smiled. "Your badge would be given to you when your orientation is complete." Savage informed.  
  
"Thank you." Aya smiled to herself.  
  
"You're welcome." Savage smiled. "Right this way for your orientation and training." Savage led them further into the complex.   
  
Dollis' Residence  
New York, New York  
06:00 EST  
  
Eve Brea snuggled deeper into her comforter trying to get a few minutes more of sleep. It was a difficult task to achieve. The scent of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and coffee slowly trickled into her room, tempting her to face the approaching morning. 'That does it.' Eve thought. The aroma of breakfast cooking was too much of a temptation for her.  
  
She surrendered to the morning and put on a robe. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ben sleeping on the couch. She had forgotten that Ben offered her his room. 'He's sleeping so soundly.' She was tempted to wake him, but she ultimately decided against it.  
  
The scent of breakfast was still calling her name; she slowly navigated through the dark living room and entered the small, humble kitchen. "Good morning Mr. Dollis." Eve greeted.  
  
"Good morning Eve." Daniel Dollis smiled. "I didn't expect you to be up so early." Daniel said putting a plate of breakfast before her.  
  
"Thank you." Eve smiled. "Yeah, I don't usually sleep in." Eve sighed. "I'm usually up at dawn."  
  
"I don't blame you." Daniel smiled. "You stayed up very late with my son." Daniel hinted.  
  
Eve's face slightly blushed. "We...we were just talking." She defended.  
  
"I know." Daniel smiled. "It's all right for you to talk to him." He reassured taking a sip of his coffee. "I've never seen my son so happy."  
  
"Speaking of which, when does he get up?" Eve said looking out into the living room.  
  
"My son?" Daniel chuckled to himself. "Ben being up before noon during his summer holidays is the perfect definition of a oxymoron." He smiled taking another sip of his coffee.  
  
"What did you call me dad?" Ben said entering the kitchen. "A moron? How insensitive of you." Ben sarcastically said making his own plate of breakfast.  
  
"Actually he called you an oxymoron." She defended nervously. "It's a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms in a compressed paradox, as in the word bittersweet..." Eve stuttered nervously.  
  
"Calm down Eve." Ben smiled. "I know what the word means." He reassured. "I'm sure dad is just surprised to see me up before lunch." He smiled taking a sip of his orange juice.  
  
"Oh, so you heard our conversation." Eve said embarrassed by her outburst.  
  
"Yeah." Ben smiled. "Pass the ketchup please?"  
  
"So son." Daniel said with a taunting sound in his voice. He couldn't help, but to cave to the urge of embarrassing his son. "Tell me why you're up so early, is it because of Eve?" Her name was hardly audible from the sudden surge of pain. He looked towards his son who gave him a 'don't you dare or I'll kill you' stare. He realized that his son kicked him in the shin.  
  
Ben quickly turned to Eve and smiled trying to cover his hint of embarrassment. Eve was clueless to what just transpired. "I thought I'd buy Rupert a birthday present." Ben quickly said to bridge the uncomfortable moment.  
  
"That's very thoughtful of you, but unnecessary." Rupert Broderick said waltzing into the kitchen. He was dressed in his typical suit and tie, ready for work.  
  
"Well, only if you're sure." Ben said quickly taking back his offer. The last thing he wanted to do was to buy a birthday present for someone he hardly knew. "So where are you two going today?" Ben asked Eve.  
  
"Oh." Daniel said. "They're going to work." The last word was inaudible from another surge of pain. Someone has kicked him in the shin again. He looked around the kitchen table, first at Ben and then at Eve. She was bearing the same look as his son was a few moments ago.  
  
Eve looked at Ben to see his expression. He was clueless to what just happened. "Oh, you know we're going to the usual tourist sights." Eve stuttered anxiously.  
  
"We are?" Rupert sounded surprised. Eve gave him a sharp look, he understood. "We are." He smiled at the young Dollis sitting down drinking his orange juice. "By the way, where's Kyle?" Broderick asked finally noticing that there was one person missing from the table.  
  
"I don't know." Daniel sighed. "He didn't come home last night." He said finishing off his coffee. "His bed has been untouched."  
  
"Hmm." Broderick sighed curiously. "I wonder where he is."  
  
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington  
Washington, District of Columbia  
06:00 EST  
  
Kyle Madigan watched the steam from his coffee danced its way into the air as he contemplated his present predicament. The translucent mist slowly danced upward reaching its apex and then disappearing into nothingness. He wished that his problems would do the same. 'Oh no!' He sighed. Madigan just realized that he picked up this particular idiosyncrasy from Aya.  
  
'Why can't I stop thinking about her?' Madigan thought to himself. "It's because you still love her." He told himself taking a sip of his coffee. "I just wish she felt the same way about me." He sighed. Madigan looked at his untouched Continental Breakfast - it was cold. 'Why did I order this?' He thought to himself. Thinking about the situation with Aya made him lost his appetite.  
  
His mind was in a constant flux between the matters of his heart and those pertaining to business. 'I wonder why Mole wants with me? And why now?' He thought. Madigan has never met Mole, but he trusted this informant from the past information that he had provided for his previous investigations.  
  
His gaze was interrupted. In his peripheral vision he caught a small manila envelope slide under his door. Madigan quickly rushed towards the door and look down both halls to see who had dropped by. The person was gone. He swore to himself closing the door. He picked up the envelope on the floor and opened it.  
  
Kyle Madigan quickly read the simple note held within. Like the note he received yesterday, this note was written by letters cut out from different parts of a magazine.  
  
waShInGtOn MoNuMenT  
NoOn  
  
"The plot thickens." Madigan sighed returning to his untouched breakfast.  
  
F.B.I. Headquarters  
Los Angeles, California  
04:00 PST  
  
Special Agent Pierce Carradine typed furiously away on his computer - he was a man obsessed. He has been up all night, called in many favours, promised many things, and broke many confidence in order to find this shadow project that Hal told him about. 'Nothing.' He swore to himself. This was a challenge worthy of his talents. "I know you're here somewhere." Carradine said to himself.  
  
He was an obsessed man on a mission; he was so mesmerized with his mission that he didn't hear Special Agent Jodie Bouquet entering the quiet office. She saw Carradine madly typing away on his computer. She smiled to herself shaking her head. 'Boys and their toys.' She sighed to herself. Bouquet quietly approached the busy Carradine.  
  
The subtle hand resting on his shoulder was a surprise to him that he turned around ready to defend himself. Bouquet leaned back gracefully avoiding his punch. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bouquet asked.  
  
"I'm sorry." Carradine sighed. "I thought you were an intruder."  
  
"A little paranoid aren't you?" Bouquet asked.  
  
"Justifiably so." Carradine sighed ominously. "As you know, Baldwin asked me to find a shadow project that may be occurring within the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies."  
  
"I know I was there with you." Bouquet rudely interrupted. "Did you find anything?"  
  
"Yeah." Carradine sighed. "One of my informants in the C.I.A. gave me a name: Project Gilgamesh." Carradine sighed. "An hour later he mysteriously disappeared."  
  
Bouquet finally realized why Carradine was so jumpy. "Are you sure?" Bouquet asked. "How do you know?"  
  
"Let's just say I have more than one informant in the C.I.A." Carradine replied mysteriously.  
  
"I'm sorry." Bouquet sympathized.  
  
Carradine was shocked; he has rarely seen Bouquet compassionate, at least towards him. "Thanks." He sighed cautiously. "As least I know one thing." He sighed returning to his work.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"I'm on the right track." Carradine continued typing trying to forget what had happened to one of his informants. "Why are you here so early?" Carradine asked turning around in his chair. He realized that it was uncustomary for Carradine to be at work this early.  
  
"I knew that you wanted this when it came in." Bouquet said handing over a package to Carradine.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's the salivary excretion of the Class C Neo-Mitochondrion Creature that Rupert wanted us to test."  
  
Carradine quickly ripped up the packaging. "What took so long?"  
  
"The boys down in the laboratory said there were some complications over the results, so they ran the test again and again." Bouquet sighed.  
  
"Rightfully so." Carradine said mysteriously looking at the results.  
  
"What is it?" Bouquet asked. Carradine handed over the report for her to read. "I'm sorry, I didn't take freshman biology." Bouquet confessed.  
  
"Oh." Carradine sighed. "Here let me show you." He said returning to his computer. He quickly minimized his work and typed ferociously to load up a new program. "This is the typical deoxyribonucleic acid found here on Earth and this is the one just analyzed by our scientists." Carradine demonstrated on his computer.  
  
Bouquet gasped in awe. "It's twice as complicated then ours." It was the only thing she could say.  
  
"That's an euphemism if I ever heard one." Carradine sighed. "This is the D.N.A. found on our planet, it's based on a double helix model with four base pairs." Carradine said pointing to the model on the left. "And this is the D.N.A. of the mitochondria found in our Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature, it is based on a triple helix model with six base pairs." Carradine sighed.  
  
"Of course, it makes senses." Bouquet said as an epiphany hit her.  
  
"What make sense?"  
  
"Do you remember when Aya told Hal that her .44 Maeda bullets were ineffective on Smith?" Bouquet reminded.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"Well those bullets were engineered six years ago by Kunihiko Maeda containing toxic anti-mitochondria poison that was based on this double helix model." Bouquet started to explain.  
  
"Of course." Carradine cursed silently to himself. "The bullets would be ineffective against the extra-terrestrial D.N.A. based on the triple helix model."  
  
"Right." Bouquet smiled. "We have to re-engineered these bullets to the triple helix model." Bouquet pointed out. An uneasy silence fell in the room when the revelation was revealed. "What should we do?" Bouquet asked. "Should we contact Hal?"  
  
"After we contact Dr. Maeda." Carradine sighed. "What time is it in Tokyo?"  
  
"What time is it now?"  
  
"Four thirty." He replied quickly turning on the video camera on his computer monitor.  
  
"Twenty one thirty." Bouquet answered. "You know you're going to get in trouble with Hal without consulting him first."  
  
"Yeah. I know." Carradine sighed. "I rather take the lecture and punishment than waiting hours if not days to get this information to Japan."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Through official channels we have to give this report to Hal, which in turn he have to give the same information to the Director of the Bureau and in turn report to the President to call the Japanese President who then has to call Dr. Maeda. This way I'm cutting out four middlemen." Carradine sighed as he quickly dialled the number on his computer and after a few rings a Japanese scientist came on the monitor.  
  
"Hello, what do you want?" The tired, overworked scientist asked.  
  
"We like to speak to Dr. Kunihiko Maeda please?" Carradine politely asked.  
  
"He's busy, may I ask who's calling?"  
  
"Special Agents Carradine and Bouquet of the F.B.I. tell Dr. Maeda that we have imperial data that could help him with the modification of his anti-mitochondria bullets needed for the Mitochondrion Epidemic." The scientist stared at them with awe. The Japanese scientist couldn't believe that a couple of Americans could solve their riddle that a team of Japanese scientist couldn't. "Do you want our data or not?" Carradine asked feeling a little impatient.  
  
The Japanese Scientist yelled a couple of phrases into the air. "He'll be right with you." The scientist said malignantly. He left and moments later an exhausted man, pale, thin, with dark bags under his eyes. "Doctor Maeda?"  
  
"Yes." Sighingly he took off his glasses and started rubbing his eyes.  
  
"We're..."  
  
"I know who you are." Maeda sighed. "If you don't mind skipping through the introductions. I have about ten governments wanting my head if I don't produce results any time soon. I'm sorry for being rude, but I have been up for the last four days trying to figure why my anti-mitochondria bullets don't work." Maeda said all in one breath.  
  
Carradine felt sorry for Maeda, he has the world on his shoulders and lives were being lost if he couldn't figure out this problem with his ammunition. "I'm sending you our data right now." Carradine said transferring all his data through his computer. "Your ammunition is based on a double helix model, but recently we discovered that the extra-terrestrial biological mitochondria that invaded the terrestrial cells of the Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are triple helix in nature."  
  
Maeda cursed with awe. "No wonder why my bullets weren't working." He had a huge grimace on his face. "Thank you for helping, this solves everything." He was so excited that he attempted to leave.  
  
"Sir!" Bouquet interrupted. "When could we get these re-engineered bullets?"  
  
Maeda sighed and thought of a conservative number. "Testing, manufacturing, and shipping the bullets would be done anywhere between forty-eight to seventy-two hours. If you don't mind, the more time I talk here..."  
  
"Understood." Carradine said. "God speed." He said turning off his camera.  
  
He sighed looking at Bouquet. "So what do we do now?" Bouquet sighed.  
  
"We'll talk to Hal." Carradine sighed.  
  
"No." Bouquet said forcing Carradine back into his chair. "I'll call Baldwin and you'll get back to your work. That's an order." Bouquet said sarcastically stressed the last part of her statement.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Carradine smiled sarcastically returning to his work. Bouquet left hearing the fury of Carradine typing.  
  
F.B.I. Headquarters, J. Edgar Hoover Building   
Washington, District of Columbia  
08:00 EST  
  
Assistant Director Eric Baldwin waited patiently outside Director Louis Freeh's office, which normally he would mind, but since his arrival was unannounced and the news he had received earlier by Agent Jodie Bouquet gave him some relief that he had this time to think. 'How am I going to question Louis about what I know?' Baldwin thought.  
  
The news of the triple helix alien mitochondria D.N.A. was a breakthrough in the extermination of Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures plaguing the planet. That feeling of scientific victory was dwarfed by the news of Project Gilgamesh. His fears were confirmed that there was a shadow project within a shadow project at the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies.   
  
"The Director would see you now." His secretary announced.  
  
"Thank you." He smiled politely and crossed the threshold of Freeh's office. He was hard at work reading the mountainous reports that lay on his table. Baldwin stood there for a moment waiting for his friend to look up from his reports. Giving up, he cleared his throat signifying his presence.  
  
"Oh, Hal." Freeh looked up from his papers. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He apologetically smiled getting up from his seat. "Please sit." He offered the chair across from him.  
  
"Thank you, Louis." He smiled sitting. "I'm sorry for my unannounced visit."  
  
"That's all right." Freeh smiled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I hate to give you more paperwork." Baldwin sighed. "But here." He handed him a report.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's the analysis of the saliva retrieved from the Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature at Dr. Smith's office earlier yesterday." Baldwin sighed.  
  
"Is this the genetic code of..."  
  
"It's a preliminary report, but it's sufficient for reengineering our Maeda bullets to this model."  
  
"This is great." Freeh gasped. "I'll report this to the president at once. This information should be in Japan within hours." Freeh smiled.  
  
"Actually my agents have already contacted Dr. Maeda in Japan."  
  
"What?" Freeh gasped.  
  
"They would be discipline accordingly." Baldwin reassured.  
  
"I should hope so." Freeh exasperated. "There are procedures that must be followed to run an efficient nation." Freeh sighed. It's not like he believed what he said whole-heartedly, some days he doesn't, but he did hate it when people go over his head. "Thank you for the report, but you didn't have to deliver this report personally, so tell me what brings you here?"  
  
Baldwin sighed and contemplated how he should proceed. He couldn't figure a way to ask his friend what's been plaguing his mind, so he fired his question without tact. "What is Project Gilgamesh?"  
  
Freeh's mouth dropped at hearing the name. "Where did you hear the name?"  
  
"I have my sources."  
  
"Which are probably dead or missing now." Freeh sighed.  
  
Baldwin's heart dropped. He has never known his friend to exaggerate anything, so when he said that his informants are either dead or missing, he believed him. "What's going on Lou?" He asked hesitantly.  
  
"It's better that you don't know. My career is over, but yours is just beginning."  
  
"I'm the director of the Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team, the précis of my duties states that I know everything that happens within my jurisdiction." Baldwin said with a hint of anger.  
  
"This meeting is over." Freeh said heading to the door and opened it.  
  
"Louis this meeting may be over, but my investigation is not." Baldwin warned getting up.  
  
"Hal, don't." Freeh stopped Baldwin before he crossed the threshold. "If you dig any further I may not be able to protect you when or if this is exposed." Freeh warned.  
  
"I am within my rights." Baldwin said adamantly. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to arrest me."  
  
"Hal, as a friend I beg you to leave this alone."  
  
"And as a friend you know that I can't give this up. Now am I under arrest?"  
  
"No." Freeh said above a whisper.  
  
"Thank you." Baldwin said leaving the office.  
  
"Good luck friend." Freeh said to himself. "Get me the President on the phone." He said to the secretary. "Tell him it's urgent." He said still gazing at the horizon.  
  
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct  
New York, New York  
09:00 EST  
  
Dollis, Broderick and the younger Brea entered the police precinct, the new field centre for the Bureau's Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team. The office was busy with updates with Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings all over the city and the ambient sounds of phone ringing.  
  
"Report." Dollis replied getting straight to business.  
  
"Smith is still a no show." Garcia sighed. "There are several sightings of minor Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures all over the city, but most of the calls are false unfortunately."  
  
"Well that is to be expected." Eve sighed. "Looking over the map of New York City." It was a lot bigger than she thought it would be.  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, the name's Agent Nimrod, I'm here to replaced Agent Brea while she's abroad with Interpol." She smiled sticking out her hand.  
  
"You're kidding." Garcia smiled trying really hard to contain his laughter. "You can't be a day over fifteen." He mocked.  
  
"No, she's serious." Dollis sternly replied.  
  
"But Bo, she..."  
  
"I think there are more important matters at hand than those running through your mind." Dollis raised his voice a little louder than he would have liked.  
  
"Aye sir." Garcia sighed returning to the map. "The phones were ringing off their hooks all day since the media leaked the presence of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures were on the loose." He picked up the phone and answered it.  
  
"What's your plan?" Dollis asked.  
  
Eve looked at Broderick wondering the same thing. "I think we should follow up with Smith's parents and his girlfriend." Broderick sighed. "Could your team manage these small outbreaks while we continue our investigation?"  
  
"Yeah." Garcia sighed hanging up the phone. "That is if we can tell which calls are real and which are false." He exasperated.  
  
"Maybe I should go with them, because of my..."  
  
"No." Broderick replied interrupting Eve's sentence. She blushed embarrassingly because she almost gave up classified information of her biological status. "Remember our primary mission is to find Smith and eradicate him." He clarified their purpose in New York. "Exterminating Class D Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures is third in our list of priorities." Broderick mumbled underneath his breath.  
  
"Third?" Garcia asked with concern.  
  
"Our second priority is classified." Eve replied. "Could we have your notes and addresses for Smith's parents and his girlfriend?" She replied trying to be professional.  
  
"I'll get it." Garcia sighed walking towards a filing cabinet pulling out a file. "There you go." He smiled giving the file to Broderick.  
  
"All right." Broderick sighed, reading through the report. "Smith's parents live right here in the city and his girlfriend lives in Brooklyn." He sighed. "This should keep us busy for most of the morning." Broderick sighed.  
  
"We'll keep the fort at the ready until you return." Dollis smiled. "God Speed." He wished extending his hand.  
  
"Thank you." Broderick smiled. "Same to you. Com'on we better be going." He said to his protégé.  
  
"Yeah, could you give me a minute?" Eve sighed. "I like to talk to Captain Dollis for a moment." She said looking at the captain.  
  
"Sure." Broderick sighed. "Don't take too long." He said leaving.  
  
"So you wanted to talk to me?"  
  
"In private." She stressed trying not to draw attention to herself.  
  
"Sure, in my office." Dollis sighed leading the way towards his office. He took his customary seat behind his desk and waited until Eve closed the door taking her seat. "Look if you wanted to talk about Wayne Garcia, don't worry, he'll take your orders, and he's a good cop, but a hothead and talks before he thinks." He rambled on.  
  
"No it's not that." Eve sighed. "I could handle Officer Garcia. I wanted to apologize for kicking your shin this morning."  
  
"I understand." Dollis sighed. "It's just that I thought you told Ben what you did." He pointed out.  
  
"How would I tell him?" She asked rhetorically. "Hi my name is Eve, I'm a clone infused with enhanced mitochondria, the same mitochondria that liquefied your mother six years ago." Eve sighed sarcastically. "I wanted to tell him, but it's so hard." Eve sighed.  
  
Dollis sighed carefully thinking how he should proceed with this discussion. "The last thing I want is to see my son hurt." Dollis said with concern.  
  
"Me too." Eve confessed. "I really like your son..."  
  
"Oh?" Dollis teased.  
  
Eve blushed at what she just said. "It's nothing like that...I think he's nice. In all my life I've been secluded from the outside world and my only friends were F.B.I. agents about twice my age. Ben is my first and only friend my age...I just didn't want to lose that."  
  
Dollis took a deep breath and sighed. "I guess I understand, but my son deserves the truth." He sighed. "That's the funny thing about lies they come out revealing themselves sooner or later." Dollis pointed out.  
  
"Yeah." Eve sighed. "I hated deceiving your son, but I would like to tell him in my own time." She pointed out.  
  
"All right."  
  
"So do you have any idea how I would tell him?"  
  
"No." Dollis sighed.  
  
Eve sighed. "I've better get going." She said getting up.  
  
"Yeah I see you tonight." Dollis said getting up. "Have a good day."  
  
"Thanks." Eve smiled leaving the captain's office to start her day.  
  
Washington Monument  
Washington, District of Columbia  
12:00 EST  
  
Kyle Madigan stood in front of the pool before the Washington Monument. The sun was high in the sky casting its beautiful radiance unto the Washingtonian landscape. It was a busy place at noon, several governmental officials, tourist, and citizens just running around casually without a fear in the world. While in New York City, not too far away from Washington D.C., hell was breaking loose. Armageddon was coming and these people didn't know or worse didn't care about it.  
  
He looked at his watch and saw that it was noon. 'Where is he?' He sighed looking around the busy square. 'What the hell am I doing here?' He thought walking towards a nearby bench and sat with the view of the Washington Monument behind him.  
  
Madigan heard someone sitting beside him and looked to the person, a man reading his newspaper had recently sat down beside him. He smiled to the stranger and returned his attention scanning the horizon for his informant.  
  
"Looking for eagles?" The stranger asked nonchalantly.  
  
Madigan's heart jumped at the question. "I'm actually looking for moles." He replied still looking into the horizon.  
  
"Moles don't come out in the day. They're nocturnal creatures." He replied. Madigan turned to him and studied him. "I'm his representative." He said under his breath.  
  
"What's this all about?" Madigan replied coldly. He returned his attention back to the crowds pretending to wait for someone, just in case they were being watched.  
  
"Your trust has to be earn before Mole is willing to meet you." He said.  
  
"This is ridiculous." Madigan sighed. "I'm leaving."  
  
"Do you want to know what's going on or don't you? It deals with your girlfriend's well being and a conspiracy at the highest levels of the government." The stranger said boldly. That stopped Madigan in his flight.  
  
"She's no longer my girlfriend." Madigan exasperated, sitting back down.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Madigan said wanting to forget the recent events in his relationship.  
  
"Mole wants you to infiltrate the Bureau and steal some files."  
  
"You what?!?" Madigan's voice was surprisingly louder than he wanted it.  
  
"Keep your voice down Mr. Madigan." The stranger replied calmly. He half expected Madigan to lose his temper. "We don't want to draw attention now do we?"  
  
"No of course not." Madigan sighed. "In order for me to steal these files, I need to break into Bureau Headquarters first. Security is as tight as the Pentagon or the White House." Madigan reported.  
  
"Mole would give you the false identification needed so you could get into the Bureau through the front doors." The stranger sighed. "We will provide you with an authentic identification and badge with an issue Bureau firearm."  
  
"Sounds easy enough." Madigan sighed. "What's in the files?" Madigan asked casually.  
  
"That Mr. Madigan is on a need to know basis and you don't need to know right now." The stranger sighed over his newspaper. "Does that bother you?"  
  
"Yeah." Madigan sighed. "If I'm going to commit treason, I like to know what and why I'm doing this?" Madigan pointed out.  
  
"That's why it's a test of loyalty, of trust Mr. Madigan." The stranger sighed. "Mole needs to know that he could trust you, by doing this favour of his you'll have it." The stranger added. "So what is it going to be Mr. Madigan are you going trust Mole and possibly betray your country? If not, then this meeting ends here."  
  
"I need some time to think this through." Madigan sighed.  
  
The representative sighed and thought it through. "All right." He finally replied. "You have until midnight to make up your mind. If you accept meet me at the northeast corner of where your hotel is situated and if I don't see you there at midnight sharp, then I'll assume that you turned Mole down and this conversation never took place." He said quickly folding his newspaper and dashed into the perpetual changing labyrinth of people.  
  
"Wait." Madigan quickly followed, but lost him in the crowd of people. "Damn." He swore to himself.  
  
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde  
Lyons, France  
20:00 FST  
  
'What a day?' She sighed throwing her jacket on the bed. She had spent the last eight hours in a boardroom having orientation. 'The world is going to Hell in a hand-basket and I spent the whole day in meetings.' She sighed with frustration raiding the mini-bar in her hotel. Aya understood the need to be aquatinted with Interpol protocols and procedures, but she never wanted to spend the whole day in boring meetings.  
  
Aya took out a small bottle of scotch and quickly too a sip. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." She sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Eve and Rupert are doing? I wonder what Kyle is doing now?' She sighed finishing her drink. 'I wonder what time is it in New York.' Aya sighed. 'Let's see...it's eight here and there is a six hour difference...so it should be two in the afternoon.' She thought picking up the phone.  
  
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct  
New York, New York  
14:00 EST  
  
Wayne Garcia was starting to hate the sound of the phone ringing. For the last five hours he has been on a wild goose chase all over Manhattan Island trying to catch phantom calls. There were, at times genuine calls about Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures, but those calls were few and sparse.  
  
A couple of hours ago at noon, Commissioner Douglas Baker had announced to the public not to flood the police with false Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings, because it would halt the police in helping those that really needed their help. The calls started to wind down.  
  
"M.I.S.T. Central, Garcia speaking." He answered bitterly.  
  
"Hey Wayne!" Aya greeted with enthusiasm. "It's Aya in France, how's it going?" She asked.  
  
"Terrible." He sighed. "I've been chasing ghosts all day." Garcia answered. "But don't mind me, how are you?"  
  
"Tired." Aya responded. "I was wondering if Agents Broderick or Nimrod is there?" She asked. "I tried calling them at Bo's, but Ben said that they were still out, so I thought they might be here." She sighed.  
  
"No they've been out all morning." Garcia sighed. "Wait a minute, he just walked in." Garcia interrupted seeing the black F.B.I. agent walking in. "Hey Broderick!" He yelled. "It's Aya, she's on the phone for you." He said holding the receiver for him.  
  
"Thanks." Broderick smiled. "Hey Aya, how's it going?"  
  
"Things could be better." Aya sighed. "I've been stuck in meetings all day."  
  
"How's the birthday boy?"  
  
"Old." Broderick sighed.  
  
"Oh, I doubt that."  
  
"Well gallivanting all over the city with a partner that could be my daughter tires you out quickly." Broderick sighed.  
  
Aya suppressed a giggle. "How's Eve doing on the first day on the job."  
  
"Okay, considering..." He sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, nothing." Broderick sighed. "It's just that no one takes her seriously because of her age." He sighed.  
  
"Oh, that's gotta be tough." Aya sighed. "Is she there? I like to cheer her up." She sighed with sisterly concern.  
  
"No, she went downstairs to the shooting gallery to let out some steam. I could get her if you like?"  
  
"No that's okay." She sighed. "Do you know where Kyle is?" She hesitantly asked. "I tried calling his mobile but he's not picking up."  
  
"No he hasn't slept in his bed last night. Do you want me to tell him to call you when I see him?"  
  
"No that's okay." Aya yawned. "I better get some sleep. Well I just called to wish you a Happy Birthday." Aya sighed. "So Happy Birthday."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing much." Broderick sighed. "I'm going out to dinner with Daniel Dollis tonight. I think he wants to talk about the good old days." He sighed.  
  
"Well have fun. Gotta go."  
  
"Take care." He said hanging up the phone.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Eve always felt better releasing her frustration shooting over an inanimate piece of cardboard. She let out six shoots hitting the target perfectly at the heart at the furthest distance the gallery allowed her too. With each shot a piece of her frustration went with it.  
  
She pressed the retrieval button and waited patiently as the cardboard figurine of the human body floated towards her. While waiting she reloaded her firearm. Eve picked took the target off and examined the six holes surrounding the heart.  
  
"Wow, you're really good." A muffled voice came from behind her. Eve took off the ear protectors and turned around. "I wouldn't want to meet you alone in a dark alley." Garcia smiled.  
  
"Hello Officer Garcia." Eve smiled.  
  
"Please call me Wayne..." Eve remained silent putting a new target on. "And you are?" He hinted.  
  
"Agent Nimrod." She smiled coldly. "How can I help you Wayne?"  
  
"I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I've been awfully stressful lately."  
  
"That's all right. I understand." She smiled. "And it's true, I'm not a day over fifteen."  
  
"Just exactly is your age?"  
  
"Mr. Garcia you should know never to ask a lady her age." She smiled devilishly.  
  
"Touché." Garcia suppressed a smile. "I'll leave you to your target practicing then." He said leaving the shooting range.  
  
"Hey Wayne!" She interrupted his flight. "The name's Eve." She smiled.  
  
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington  
Washington, District of Columbia  
15:00 EST  
  
'What should I do?' Kyle sighed looking out the window. He had spent the last three hours contemplating whether or not to commit treason. He sighed with frustration and broke the seal on the hotel's mini-bar taking out the tiny bottle of scotch.  
  
Kyle sighed taking a sip of the very expensive scotch. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." He sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Aya's doing?' He sighed. 'Maybe I was too harsh, but I needed her to trust me, confide in me with all her secrets.' He sighed.  
  
He took another sip and considered what he would do until midnight. 'Should I commit treason to gain the trust for a possible treasonous group?' Kyle contemplated. 'I don't know Mole, then again, I don't know the president of the United States either.' He sighed.  
  
"Great who do I trust?" He asked himself. "A politician or an informant that wants me to commit treason. Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils." Kyle sighed.  
  
He didn't know what to do, he did know one thing, there was a conspiracy going on whether it's at the highest levels of the government or in the darkness of a shadow government of a treasonous group.  
  
The President has been in office for three years, he wasn't all too popular, but he did have to make tough decision that wouldn't make him fashionable with the populace. 'But was he capable of treason?' Kyle sighed.  
  
Then there was Mole, an informant that he met earlier that year that anonymously helped him with the case he was working on. Periodically Mole would steer him in the right place to solve the case he was working on. Madigan came to trust him over the year. 'But who is he?' He sighed not really knowing the nature of his informant.  
  
"God help me if I choose wrong." He sighed finishing his scotch.  
  
Dollis' Residence  
New York, New York  
17:00 EST  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Dollis asked looking in the rear view mirror seeing Eve looking out the window enjoying the sights of New York.  
  
"And reminisce over times before my birth?" She asked sarcastically. "No thank you." She sighed. "I rather go back to Atlanta and live in seclusion again then to have a boring conversation." Eve sighed.  
  
"Really I don't mind." Broderick pointed out.  
  
"No, Rupert have your boy's night out." Eve smiled. "Besides I have something to talk about with Ben." She hinted to Dollis.  
  
"Are you sure?" Dollis asked.  
  
"Yeah...he deserves the truth." Eve sighed.  
  
The two adults stayed silent knowing what she meant. The silence was uncanny and intolerable. The car stopped in the driveway of the Dollis' household. "All right this is your last chance."  
  
Eve got out and smiled and headed towards the passenger's window. "I'll risk it." Eve smiled. "Happy Birthday." She smiled kissing him on the cheek. "Have fun."  
  
"I'll try." Broderick smiled.  
  
"There's pizza money on the counter." Dollis pointed out. "Tell Ben to behave." He hinted.  
  
"I will." Eve smiled. "Have a good night."  
  
"We will." Dollis smiled putting his car into reverse.  
  
Eve watched the car rushed down the street. She smiled waving until the car was well out of range. She slowly walked towards the door and opened it.  
  
She hesitated to cross the threshold of the house; she needed to talk to Ben, to tell him the truth of what she is, what she does, and what's in her cells. It was a discussion she didn't want to have, but needed having. She didn't want to start this friendship, this relationship on a false pretence.  
  
"Hey Eve." Ben announced with a big grin on his face.  
  
"Hey Ben." She smiled back.  
  
"How was your day?"  
  
"It could be better." She sighed. "Yours?"  
  
"Better now that you're home." He smiled. "Are you ready for our date?"  
  
"Date?" Eve asked with confusion.  
  
"Don't tell me you've forgotten...Coney Island?" He felt crestfallen.  
  
Eve saw his head down and suddenly remembered about their conversation last night. "Of course not." She smiled lifting Ben's head. "I just wanted to talk to you."  
  
"We could talk en route." Ben smiled.  
  
"All right, just give me a minute to change." Eve smiled walking to her room.  
  
"Don't take too long." Ben yelled. "I'm not sure how long dad and Broderick will take for their dinner." He said looking out the window. He waited all day for this date.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



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